System, method and computer program product for improved efficiency in network assessment utilizing a port status pre-qualification procedure

A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for minimizing the duration of a risk-assessment scan, comprising:

• a) computer code for selecting a plurality of risk-assessment modules for execution during a risk-assessment scan, the risk-assessment modules each including vulnerability checks, and requiring communication via at least one predetermined port;
• b) computer code for determining a set of ports for communicating with network components;
• c) computer code for executing a port scan of the set of ports associated with the selected risk-assessment modules and the network components, for reducing the number of ports scanned during the port scan, wherein latency is reduced since a port scan involving 65,536 ports is avoided;
• d) computer code for modifying the set of ports based on the port scan, the set of ports being modified to include only ports available for communicating with the network components;
• e) computer code for comparing the port associated with each selected risk-assessment module with the modified set of ports;
• and
• f) computer code for conditionally disabling the execution of the risk-assessment modules based on the comparison to minimize the duration of the risk-assessment scan.

A method of minimizing the duration of a risk-assessment scan, comprising:

• a) selecting a plurality of risk-assessment modules each including vulnerability checks associated with a risk-assessment scan, and requiring communication via at least one predetermined port;
• b) determining a first set of ports required for communicating with network components subject to the risk-assessment modules associated with the risk-assessment scan;
• c) executing a port scan of only the first set of ports associated with the selected risk-assessment modules, for reducing the number of ports scanned during the port scan, wherein latency is reduced since a port scan involving 65,536 ports is avoided;
• d) determining a second set of ports based on the port scan, the second set of ports being unavailable for communicating with the network components subject to the risk-assessment modules associated with the risk-assessment scan;
• e) disabling the risk-assessment modules associated with the second set of ports to minimize the duration of the risk-assessment scan;
• f) storing a third set of ports including the first set of ports and excluding the second set of ports;
• and
• g) comparing the port associated with each risk-assessment module with the stored third set of ports;
• h) wherein the risk-assessment module is disabled if the port associated with the risk-assessment module does not match at least one port of the stored third set of ports.

A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for minimizing the duration of a risk-assessment scan, comprising:

• a) computer code for selecting a plurality of risk-assessment modules each including vulnerability checks associated with a risk-assessment scan, and requiring communication via at least one predetermined port;
• b) computer code for determining a first set of ports required for communicating with network components subject to the risk-assessment modules associated with the risk-assessment scan;
• c) computer code for executing a port scan of the first set of ports associated with the selected risk-assessment modules, for reducing the number of ports scanned during the port scan, wherein latency is reduced since a port scan involving 65,536 ports is avoided;
• d) computer code for determining a second set of ports based on the port scan, the second set of ports being unavailable for communicating with the network components subject to the risk-assessment modules associated with the risk-assessment scan;
• e) computer code for disabling the risk-assessment modules associated with the second set of ports to minimize the duration of the risk-assessment scan;
• f) computer code for storing a third set of ports including the first set of ports and excluding the second set of ports;
• and
• g) computer code for comparing the port associated with each risk-assessment module with the stored third set of ports;
• h) wherein the risk-assessment module is disabled if the port associated with the risk-assessment module does not match at least one port of the stored third set of ports.

A system for minimizing the duration of a risk-assessment scan, comprising:

• a) logic for selecting a plurality of risk-assessment modules each including vulnerability checks associated with a risk-assessment scan, and requiring communication via at least one predetermined port;
• b) logic for determining a first set of ports required for communicating with network components subject to the risk-assessment modules associated with the risk-assessment scan;
• c) logic for executing a port scan of only the first set of ports associated with the selected risk-assessment modules, for reducing the number of ports scanned during the port scan, wherein latency is reduced since a port scan involving 65,536 ports is avoided;
• d) logic for determining a second set of ports based on the port scan, the second set of ports being unavailable for communicating with the network components subject to the risk-assessment modules associated with the risk-assessment scan;
• e) logic for disabling the risk-assessment modules associated with the second set of ports to minimize the duration of the risk-assessment scan;
• f) logic for storing a third set of ports including the first set of ports and excluding the second set of ports;
• and
• g) logic for comparing the port associated with each risk-assessment module with the stored third set of ports;
• h) wherein the risk-assessment module is disabled if the port associated with the risk-assessment module does not match at least one port of the stored third set of ports.