Software Vulnerability Detection via Real-Time Indexing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern applications face challenges in detecting security vulnerabilities in software components, as these vulnerabilities often go undetected until after the component is released, potentially compromising the entire application, and existing systems struggle to track the numerous components used in real-time.

Innovation Solution

A security vulnerability detection system that indexes third-party submitted information from various internet sources, such as blogs and news sites, to create a real-time list of vulnerabilities, scans applications to identify used components, and assigns risk scores based on vulnerability severity and availability of fixes, providing timely notifications to users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional vulnerability detection methods are used, then security vulnerabilities may be detected, but the detection occurs too late (after component release) and cannot track numerous components in real-time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity vulnerability detection accuracyVSAvoidtime delay in vulnerability detection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously indexing internet sources and maintaining an updated vulnerability database before vulnerabilities affect applications. Component signatures are pre-configured and the system proactively matches components against known vulnerabilities, enabling detection before deployment or immediately upon release rather than after compromise occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous vulnerability tracking by constantly indexing internet sources (blogs, news sites, security forums) and maintaining real-time updates of the vulnerability database. This continuous action ensures that newly disclosed vulnerabilities are immediately captured and matched against deployed components, eliminating detection delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Productivity

If comprehensive tracking of all software components is implemented, then real-time vulnerability detection is achieved, but system complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time vulnerability tracking capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity for tracking components

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential identifying information from software components (signatures, version numbers, component names) rather than tracking entire component repositories or source code. This extraction approach reduces the data volume requiring continuous monitoring while maintaining sufficient information for accurate vulnerability matching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary vulnerability database that acts as a mediator between internet sources and application components. This database pre-processes and structures vulnerability information from diverse internet sources into a standardized format, simplifying the matching process against component signatures and reducing the complexity of direct real-time analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If real-time indexing of internet sources is performed, then up-to-date vulnerability information is obtained, but information accuracy and reliability become challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetimeliness of vulnerability informationVSAvoidaccuracy of vulnerability information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring multiple internet sources and comparing vulnerability reports across different platforms. When the same vulnerability appears in multiple reputable sources, the system validates and prioritizes this information, reducing false positives from unverified sources while maintaining real-time detection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses universal matching criteria that work across diverse internet sources and component types. By establishing standardized patterns for vulnerability identification and component signature matching, the system can process information from various sources (blogs, news sites, security forums) with consistent accuracy, maintaining both timeliness and precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10614223B2Security vulnerability detection

Publication Date: 2020.04.07 MICRO FOCUS LLC

AI summary

In one example in accordance with tie present disclosure, a method for security vulnerability detection includes indexing a variety of internet sources comprising third party submitted information, to extract security vulnerabilities based on the third party submitted information. The method includes generating a security vulnerabilities list comprising security vulnerabilities from the internet source and generating a software components list comprising a software component used in an application. The method includes determining that a security vulnerability in the security vulnerabilities list affects the software component and determining a risk score of the security vulnerability. The method includes presenting the security vulnerability, the risk score and the software component via a user interface.