UNIX Application Fingerprinting for Scalable Network Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for identifying and managing applications on a UNIX-based computing network are resource-intensive and not scalable, as they require manual processes or agent installations, and differ significantly from Windows-based systems due to the lack of file extensions association with executable files in UNIX environments.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for generating fingerprints based on unique attributes of objects within the UNIX environment, using rules to identify and locate software, hardware, and operating systems by creating scripts that search for specific patterns and credentials, allowing for efficient identification and management of computing devices and applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual processes or agent installations are used to identify and manage applications on computing devices, then application identification can be performed, but the process becomes resource-intensive and not scalable as the computing network increases in size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates fingerprints (copies) of application characteristics and behaviors that can be analyzed remotely without requiring physical access to computing devices or installation of agents. These fingerprints capture essential application attributes that enable identification and management while avoiding the resource-intensive manual processes described in the contradiction.
2Loss of information
If agents are installed on each computing device for remote monitoring, then application monitoring capability is improved, but resource consumption increases and scalability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts essential application identification information into fingerprints that can be collected and analyzed centrally without requiring continuous agent presence on each computing device. This extraction approach maintains monitoring capability while reducing the resource burden of having agents installed and actively running on every device in the network.
3Ease of operation
If file extensions are used to identify applications on Windows-based systems, then application identification is straightforward, but this method cannot be applied to UNIX-based systems that do not use file extensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal fingerprinting methodology that works across different operating systems including UNIX, Linux, and Windows. Instead of relying on Windows-specific file extensions, the system generates fingerprints based on application behaviors, configurations, and characteristics that are platform-agnostic, enabling consistent application identification across diverse computing environments.
4Loss of information
If administrators manually access computing devices to compile application lists, then complete application inventory can be obtained, but the process requires administrator knowledge of device existence and connection capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables computing devices to provide their own application information through generated fingerprints that can be collected automatically. This self-service approach eliminates the need for administrators to manually access each device, reducing both the complexity of the process and the requirement for administrator knowledge of device existence and connection protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Each known operating system, software, or hardware within a UNIX environment can correspond to a list of identifiable attributes that is used to uniquely identify the operating system, software, or hardware of interest. By using these identifiable attributes in rules, fingerprints can be generated that define the existence of an object (e.g. operating systems, software and hardware) within the UNIX environment. By using the generated fingerprints via a discovery tool, the existence of the objects can be determined within the UNIX environment (e.g. computing device, computing network).