Sensor Agent Controller for Network Risk Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
IT departments face challenges in monitoring and detecting network and security issues across internal, remote, virtual, and cloud networks due to the lack of a coordinated system for sensor agents, which hinders accurate risk assessment and vulnerability tracking.
Innovation Solution
A system dynamically provisions sensor agents to discover and address risks, using a sensor agent controller, policy engine, and network informant to deploy and manage agents for comprehensive network analysis and automated remediation, while providing alerts to administrators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensor agents are deployed across internal, remote, virtual, and cloud networks, then comprehensive network monitoring and risk assessment capability is improved, but system complexity and coordination difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central coordinator system that acts as an intermediary between multiple distributed sensor agents. This coordinator receives data from various sensor agents across different networks, standardizes the information format, and coordinates their operations. The intermediary resolves the complexity by centralizing the coordination function while allowing distributed sensing, thus maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor agents are designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle diverse network environments (internal, remote, virtual, and cloud networks). Rather than deploying specialized agents for each network type, the system uses universal sensor agents that can adapt to multiple network contexts. This reduces the overall number of different agent types needed and simplifies the coordination architecture while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
2Reliability
If sensor agents gather and analyze data from multiple sources, then the value and accuracy of security information is improved, but data processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor agents perform preliminary data processing and filtering at the source before transmitting information to the central system. They pre-analyze local network data, identify anomalies, and prepare standardized reports in advance. This preliminary action reduces the volume and complexity of data requiring central processing, thereby maintaining high security information accuracy while reducing overall data processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The data processing function is segmented between distributed sensor agents and the central coordinator system. Each sensor agent independently processes and validates its local data sources, then transmits only relevant findings to the central system. This segmentation allows parallel processing across multiple agents simultaneously, reducing total processing time while maintaining comprehensive analysis through the aggregation of segmented results.
3Productivity
If automated remediation actions are implemented, then response time to security issues is improved, but risk of erroneous actions and system instability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated remediation system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the central coordinator monitors the effects of remediation actions in real-time. After an automated action is executed, the system observes whether the intended security improvement occurs or if adverse effects manifest. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from outcomes and adjust future remediation decisions, maintaining fast response times while improving reliability through experience-based refinement.
Solution Approach 2:
Before executing automated remediation actions, the system performs preliminary validation and simulation steps. The central coordinator evaluates potential remediation actions against multiple criteria, checks for conflicts with other security policies, and predicts potential adverse effects. This preliminary anti-action prevents erroneous remediation actions from being executed, reducing the risk of system instability while maintaining the capability for rapid response to genuine security threats.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention comprises a method and system of deploying and managing sensor agents to provide services to networks and devices within a network. The invention dynamically deploys, initiates, and controls sensor agents that scan networks. Data obtained during the scan are returned to an analysis system for evaluation. Results are displayed to a user through a graphical interface or stored in a database. Results may also be used by the analysis system to remediate anomalies and provide graphical network information. Typically, a plurality of sensor agents are used to gather data in the aggregate and provide a more complete analysis on the operation and security of a network.