Automated Vulnerability Reporting via User-Device Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for identifying and managing vulnerable computers in networks are inefficient, as they require time-consuming scans to identify both devices and associated users, and do not effectively provide actionable information to reduce virus risks.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that associates client device information with user information, using a scanning tool to identify vulnerabilities and cross-reference user identification data to generate reports and notifications, enabling targeted actions to remediate vulnerabilities and improve network reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network computers are scanned to identify vulnerable devices and associated users, then network security risk management is improved, but the process becomes time consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing user-device association databases and pre-configuring vulnerability scanning parameters before actual security assessments. This allows the scanning process to quickly match identified vulnerable devices with pre-stored user information, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual user identification during the scanning process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary association database that stores the relationship between users and their devices. This intermediary structure enables the scanning system to quickly resolve device identifiers to user identities without direct manual intervention, significantly reducing the time required to associate vulnerable devices with their users while maintaining accurate security risk management.
2Measurement precision
If detailed scanning is performed to identify vulnerable devices and users, then measurement precision of vulnerabilities is improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning system is segmented into specialized modules: a vulnerability detection module that identifies security issues, an association module that matches devices to users using pre-stored data, and a reporting module that generates notifications. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function with high precision while keeping individual module complexity manageable, as each handles a specific aspect of the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service mechanisms where the association database automatically resolves device-user mappings without manual intervention, and the reporting system automatically generates and delivers notifications. This self-service capability maintains high measurement precision for vulnerability identification while reducing the operational complexity that would otherwise be required to manage detailed scanning results manually.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method and apparatus for associating data is presented. An association system generally includes a vulnerability information system, user identification system and association tool. The vulnerability information system performs a scan of client devices to identify vulnerable devices. The vulnerability information is transmitted to the association tool where it is cross referenced with user identification information received from the user identification system. The association tool identifies the user associated with the vulnerable devices and this information may be stored to generate historical trend information. In addition, the information may be displayed graphically or may be used to generate reports and identify metrics that can be monitored in order to improve reliability, efficiency and the like.