Automatic communication network system hardening

A computer-readable medium for automatically improving security of a network system comprising:

• a set of instructions configured to be executed by at least one processor effective to:
• receive security relevant information from network devices of the network system, the security relevant information including security settings and operational information of the network devices;
• analyze the security relevant information for determining weak security settings from collected security settings of a network device, the weak security settings being not necessary for a regular operation of the network system in accordance with the operational information;
• determine hardened security settings for the network device based on the weak security settings, the hardened security settings restricting a possible operation of the network device but allow a regular operation of the network system in accordance with the operational information, wherein the hardened security settings are determined by restricting weak security settings;
• and
• apply the hardened security settings to the network device.

A network monitoring and hardening system, comprising:

• at least one monitoring device including a first computer-readable medium having a first set of instructions that, when executed by a first processor, is effective to collecting security relevant information from network devices of a network system, the security relevant information including security settings and operational information of the network devices;
• at least one analysis and hardening device including a second computer-readable medium having a second set of instructions that, when executed by a second processor, is effective to:
• analyze the security relevant information for determining weak security settings of a network device, the weak security settings being not necessary for a regular operation of the network system;
• determine hardened security settings for the network device based on the weak security settings, the hardened security settings restricting a possible operation of the network device but allow a regular operation of the network system;
• and
• applying the hardened security settings to the network device.