Serverless Security Assessment Service for Cross-Cloud Environments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Enterprises face complexity in managing network security across serverless computing environments due to varying cloud platforms and lack of specialized training among IT workers, making it difficult to assess and configure security settings effectively.

Innovation Solution

An enterprise security assessment and management service that uses automated tools to determine a security footprint, identify suitable security applications and settings, and provide reporting and remediation recommendations, leveraging robotic process automation and cross-cloud security management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If enterprises use traditional security assessment tools designed for client-server arrangements, then security monitoring is available, but the tools cannot effectively assess serverless environments where enterprises are not exposed to underlying security features

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity assessment capabilityVSAvoidsecurity management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cloud vendor as an intermediary that provides security assessment tools and expertise to enterprises using serverless services. Since enterprises cannot directly access or configure underlying security features in serverless environments, the cloud vendor acts as a mediator that exposes security assessment capabilities through higher-level interfaces, allowing enterprises to assess security without needing to understand complex serverless infrastructure details.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If enterprises manually configure security settings for each cloud platform, then security can be managed, but significant time and effort are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity configurationVSAvoidsecurity setup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by having cloud vendors pre-configure security settings, security groups, and access policies before enterprises deploy their serverless applications. Security assessment tools are also pre-configured with knowledge of multiple cloud platforms' security features, allowing the system to automatically generate appropriate security configurations without requiring enterprises to manually set up each security parameter from scratch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal security management approach that works across multiple cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.). The security assessment tool is designed to be platform-agnostic, providing multi-functional security evaluation and configuration capabilities that adapt to different cloud providers' specific security features, thereby reducing the need for separate security setup processes for each platform.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If enterprises rely on IT workers with limited training to manage serverless security, then operational simplicity is maintained, but the required level of training and knowledge is not available

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity management easeVSAvoidsecurity assessment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling enterprises to automatically assess and configure their serverless security posture using cloud vendor-provided tools. The security assessment system automatically discovers the enterprise's serverless architecture, evaluates security configurations, and generates remediation recommendations without requiring human experts to manually analyze each component. This allows operations to remain simple while maintaining high assessment accuracy through automated, expert-level analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If enterprises use serverless services for flexibility and automated scaling, then operational flexibility is improved, but security management becomes more complex due to varying cloud platform configurations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice delivery flexibilityVSAvoidcross-cloud security management

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent addresses cross-cloud security complexity by creating a universal security assessment framework that can evaluate and manage security across multiple cloud platforms simultaneously. The system provides multi-functional capabilities including platform-agnostic security scanning, unified policy management, and standardized reporting that works whether the enterprise uses AWS, Azure, GCP, or hybrid environments, thereby maintaining productivity benefits while reducing security management complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11729201B2Enterprise security assessment and management service for serverless environments

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 SHAVLIK MARK

AI summary

Methods and systems for assessment and management of security in serverless environments are provided. One method includes executing an at least partially automated environment discovery process in which an overall security footprint of the enterprise is determined, and automatically identifying, via an enterprise security assessment tool, one or more security applications and associated settings capable of meeting the set of security requirements of the enterprise based on the sets of attributes associated with a plurality of serverless services.