Security Rule Dependency Management via Template Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing security systems struggle to efficiently manage dependencies between rules in a database while maintaining flexibility and ease of modification, especially in cloud-based Web Application Firewalls (WAF), Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), and Cloud-based web application and API protection (WAAP).
Innovation Solution
The system uses a template to capture dependency information between rules, allowing rules to be stored separately and independently in a database while maintaining their dependencies. This approach enables dynamic modification of both rules and dependency information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If rules are stored separately in a database for flexibility and easy modification, then ease of operation and adaptability are improved, but dependency information between rules is lost
Solution Approach 1:
A template object is introduced as an intermediary between the database and the rule dependency structure. The template stores dependency information (parent rules, priority levels) separately from the actual rules in the database, allowing rules to be stored independently while maintaining their dependency relationships through the template layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments rule management into two independent parts: the rule definitions stored in the database and the dependency information stored in the template. This segmentation allows each part to be modified independently - rules can be added/removed from the database without affecting the template structure, while dependency relationships are maintained through the template.
2Loss of information
If a static file is used to store rules, then dependency information is maintained, but flexibility to add/remove rules dynamically is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static file structure to a dynamic database-based structure with a template layer. The template can be dynamically updated to reflect new dependency relationships, while the rules in the database can be freely added, modified, or removed without requiring changes to the underlying storage structure.
3Reliability
If hundreds of security rules are maintained to provide comprehensive protection, then security coverage is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rule management system is segmented into independent rule entries in the database and a template layer that handles dependencies. This segmentation allows administrators to manage individual rules without needing to understand or modify the entire rule set structure, reducing overall system complexity despite having hundreds of rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The template acts as an intermediary that abstracts the complexity of rule dependencies from the individual rules. Each rule only needs to store its basic parameters, while the template handles the complex dependency relationships, priority management, and execution ordering, simplifying the overall system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include receiving a copy of a template file of security rules where the template file includes a plurality of rule tags and one or more dependency tags that define relationships and dependencies between any rules associated with the plurality of rule tags; scanning the template file including, for each respective rule tag of the plurality of rule tags checking if an enabled flag is set for the respective rule tag, when the enable flag is set, looking up a respective rule in a rule database and replacing the respective rule tag with the respective rule, and when the enable flag is not set, removing the respective rule tag from the template file; and providing an output file including a plurality of rules having the relationships and dependencies, where the output file is used for security scanning.