Enterprise security monitoring system and method

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide an enterprise security solution wherein each network node itself enforces a predetermined security policy. In these embodiments, platform independent agents and coordinators run on any type of network node and require no central server to implement policy are utilized. With no requirement for access to a server, the security policy of a network node may be enforced without an operable network connection. Agents are responsible for monitoring, recording and reporting attempted violations of predetermined security policies of an enterprise. Agents may be general agents and may be written in a platform independent language or may be special agents that may comprise platform specific code whether written in a platform independent language or not. Coordinators are responsible for configuring, controlling and providing support services such as routing to the agents. Agent and coordinator functionality may be combined into one component if desired. Agents and coordinators are capable of terminating processes on network nodes that they are monitoring. A policy may be specific to a device, user, group or enterprise or any combination thereof. Agents and coordinators may be deployed via disks, via the network via push technologies, or via download from the network. After agents and coordinators have been installed on a network node the security policy is enforced and may not be terminated without administrator privilege. Embodiments of the invention may be controlled and administered remotely without technical support at each network node site from any location hosting an administrator. This allows for flexible administration that is not dependent on the location of the administrator. In addition, since network connections may become inactive, it is possible for an administrator to change locations while administering a network node.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.