Automatic Security Group Generation for Cloud Network Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing the security of intra-cloud communications in virtual private clouds is challenging due to the exponential growth of possible connections between instances, leading to inadequate security configurations that allow malicious access to multiple instances within the same cloud environment.

Innovation Solution

Implementing automatically generated security groups based on pre-configured policies applied to instances using tags indicating their functions, resource types, or application types, which segment the network into logical segments to facilitate legitimate communications while preventing unauthorized access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual firewall rule management is used for each instance, then security control precision is improved, but device complexity and administrative burden increase exponentially with the number of instances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity control precisionVSAvoidfirewall rule management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple instances with similar security requirements are merged into a single security group, allowing unified firewall rule management. Instead of configuring individual rules for each instance, administrators define rules at the security group level, which automatically apply to all member instances, reducing complexity while maintaining security precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Security groups provide universal firewall rule templates that can be applied across multiple instances simultaneously. A single security group configuration serves multiple instances with similar functions, eliminating redundant rule definitions and simplifying management while maintaining instance-specific security control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If network segmentation is implemented to improve security isolation, then malicious access prevention is improved, but network communication flexibility deteriorates due to restricted instance connections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity isolationVSAvoidnetwork communication flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into logical security groups that isolate instances with different security requirements. Each security group acts as a logical network segment with controlled communication boundaries, preventing unauthorized access between segments while maintaining flexibility within segments through configurable firewall rules

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Firewall rules within security groups are dynamically configured to allow legitimate communications while blocking unauthorized access. The system adapts communication permissions based on security policies, enabling flexible connectivity within security boundaries rather than imposing rigid network segmentation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If automated security group generation is implemented, then administrative efficiency is improved, but measurement precision of security policies deteriorates due to automatic rule generation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadministrative efficiencyVSAvoidsecurity policy accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Security group templates and firewall rule patterns are pre-configured based on best security practices and organizational policies. When instances are added to security groups, these pre-defined rules automatically apply, ensuring consistent security policy application while reducing administrative effort. Administrators only need to select appropriate pre-configured templates rather than creating rules from scratch

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback mechanisms to verify that automatically generated security group configurations meet security requirements. Administrators can review and adjust auto-generated rules, and the system monitors compliance to ensure security policies are correctly applied, maintaining precision while benefiting from automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11729146B1Network segmentation by security groups

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 AMAZON TECH INC

AI summary

A method of automatic security group generation by a firewall management service. The method may include receiving a security policy definition allowing cloud resource instances labeled by a first tag to communicate to cloud resource instances labeled by a second tag; creating a first security group comprising an inbound firewall rule for the cloud resource instances associated with the first tag, wherein the inbound firewall rule specifies cloud resource instances associated with a second security group as source communication endpoints; creating a second security group comprising an outbound firewall rule for the cloud resources instances associated with the second tag, wherein the outbound firewall rule specifies cloud resource instances associated with the first security group as destination communication endpoints; and causing a firewall service to implement the first security group and the second security group.