US 11,601,458 B2 · Methods and systems that generate and use microsegmentation quotients for security monitoring of distributed-computer-system components

Abstract

The current document is directed to methods and systems that generate microsegmentation quotients for computational entities and components of a distributed-computer-system. In the described implementation, microsegmentation quotients are generated for each component, subsystem, or computational entity, collectively referred to as “system entities,” of a set of specified system-entity types within the distributed computer system. Microsegmentation quotients are generated for system entities at any of the various hierarchical levels within a distributed computer system, including for the entire distributed computer system. Microsegmentation quotients are generated by an iterative process that refines initial estimates of the microsegmentation quotients for system entities within the distributed computer system. Microsegmentation quotients are displayed, through system-management interfaces, to administration and management personnel and provided to automated administration-and-management-system tools and facilities in order to facilitate analysis and monitoring of distributed-computer-system security as well as to facilitate rapid and accurate detection and amelioration of security-related deficiencies and problems.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A security-monitoring system that generates microsegmentation quotients, which represent security levels of system entities within a distributed computer system, that are displayed to administration and management personnel to facilitate evaluation, by the administration and management personnel, of security contexts of particular components or subsystems within the distributed computer system and amelioration of security problems, the security-monitoring system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more memories, and one or more data-storage devices within one or more computer systems;
and
computer instructions, stored in one or more f the one or memories, that, when executed by one or more of the processors, control the security system to
estimate a microsegmentation quotient for each of the system entities,
iteratively refine the microsegmentation quotient for each of the system entities,
periodically recompute the microsegmentation quotient for each of the system entities,
receive, from one or more requestors, requests for microsegmentation quotients for each of one or more specified system entities, the requestors including
an automated administration-and-management system, and
a display routine that displays microsegmentation quotients on a display device, and
transmit the requested microsegmentation quotients to the requestors.

7 more elements

A method that generates a microsegmentation quotient for a system entity which represent a security level of the system entity within a distributed computer system, the method carried out by a security-monitoring system that generates microsegmentation quotients, which represent security levels of system entities within a distributed computer system, that are displayed to administration and management personnel to facilitate evaluation, by the administration and management personnel, of security contexts of particular components or subsystems within the distributed computer system and amelioration of security problems, the security-monitoring system implemented within one or more processors, one or more memories, and one or more data-storage devices within one or more computer system having one or more processors, one or more memories, and one or more data-storage devices, the method comprising:

associating each type of system entity with a set of features that each comprises a set of attributes, each attribute a Boolean-valued, integer-value, or real-number-valued metric, the value of which is computationally generated, for a particular system entity of the type of system entity at a particular time, from characteristics and parameters associated with the system entity;
associating each attribute of each system-entity type with an attribute threshold, an attribute weight, and an attribute function;
associating each feature of each system-entity type with a feature threshold;
and
generating a microsegmentation quotient for the system entity from the current attribute values for the attributes associated with the system-entity type of the system entity using the attribute thresholds, attribute weights, and attribute functions for the attributes associated with the system-entity type of the system entity and the feature thresholds for the features associated with the system-entity type of the system entity.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and systems that generate and use microsegmentation quotients for security monitoring of distributed-computer-system components

Life of this patent

Methods and systems that generate and use microsegmentation quotients for security monitoring of distributed-computer-system components

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20