Transparent Heartbeat Processing in Network Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Securing endpoints in heterogeneous enterprise networks is challenging due to the complexity and diversity of networked devices, which often leads to difficulties in bringing devices into compliance with network policies and managing secure communications across different vendors and configurations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a threat management system that configures network devices to pass security information such as heartbeats and notifications between logical or physical network partitions, facilitating integrated endpoint management and secure communication across boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network devices are configured to pass security information between network partitions, then integrated endpoint management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces network devices (firewalls, gateways, routers) as intermediary components that transparently pass security information between network partitions. These intermediaries enable integrated endpoint management across boundaries without requiring complex configuration on endpoint devices themselves, as the network devices handle the security information forwarding automatically
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes network devices universal by enabling them to perform multiple functions: traditional network routing/forwarding plus transparent security information passing. By configuring existing network devices to handle both data traffic and security information (heartbeats, notifications, device ID) simultaneously, the system achieves integrated management without adding dedicated security appliances to each endpoint
2Reliability
If security information is passed between logical or physical network partitions, then secure communication across boundaries is improved, but administrator resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling network devices to automatically pass security information between partitions without requiring administrator intervention for each transmission. Once configured, the network devices autonomously forward heartbeats, compromise notifications, and device identification information across partition boundaries, reducing ongoing administrative overhead while maintaining secure communication
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes feedback loops where endpoints send security status information (heartbeats, compromise notifications) to network devices, which then automatically relay this information across partitions. This automated feedback mechanism ensures continuous secure communication monitoring without requiring administrators to manually check or relay security status between partitions
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If network devices transparently process security information, then threat detection capability is improved, but information loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses network devices as intermediaries that transparently process security information, allowing threat detection enhancement without information loss. The intermediaries forward complete security information (heartbeats, notifications, device ID) between partitions without filtering or modifying the data, enabling comprehensive threat detection while maintaining information integrity through transparent processing
Data Source
AI summary
Network devices within an enterprise are configured to pass out-of-band security information such as heartbeats, notifications of compromise, device identification information, and so forth between logical or physical network partitions such as subnets, routing domains, access points, and so forth. This technique can advantageously facilitate integrated management of endpoints across network boundaries that might otherwise interfere with the identification and management of specific devices.