Methods, apparatuses, systems and devices for network security

A network security evaluation method comprising:

• operating an investigatory container (IC) with access to a first network (FN), the IC configured for:
• at least one of communicating and interrogating security devices of the FN;
• and
• remote management of the operation of the IC;
• establishing, by the IC, communications with a third party server (TPS) of a security monitoring system (SMS) external to the FN;
• retrieving, by the IC from the TPS (SMS):
• plug-in module information for interfacing with each security device provided on the FN, each plug-in module configured to allow the IC to communicate with a respective security device of the FN,
• and
• login information associated with each security device of the FN;
• organizing, by the IC, one or more plug-in containers each for a respective security device;
• logging into each security device of the FN, via a respective plug-in using the retrieved, respective login information;
• analyzing each security device so as to obtain security data of the FN related to a plurality of network elements, the security data including information related to at least one of:
• one or more security risks, one or more security or network deficiencies, compliance with at least one standard, configuration, one or more anomalies, and one or more security alerts;
• normalizing the security data;
• forwarding the normalized security data of the FN to the SMS either via the TPS or another SMS device;
• determining, by the SMS, whether the security data meets or exceeds a minimum-viable-data (MVD) for the FN, the MVD corresponding to an indication that the FN provides effective risk management;
• optionally determining, by the SMS, at least one of a security score (S-C) for the FN based upon at least the security data, and a security rating (S-R) for the FN based upon at least the security data;
• optionally adjusting the configuration of one or more of the security devices via the plug-in to optionally improve security of the FN, where adjusting includes at least one of:
• providing a firewall, adding or removing a network ACL and/or rule, disabling at least one of one or more users, groups, and devices, modifying authorization and/or access for at least one of one or more users, groups, and devices, patching a vulnerability, and applying at least one of a software and firmware update;
• and
• optionally determining one or more recommendations on improving at least one of the S-C and S-R of the FN based on at least one of the security data, number and type of current security devices of the FN and corresponding one or more toolsets thereof.