US 7,779,463 B2 · Systems and methods for correlating and distributing intrusion alert information among collaborating computer systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for correlating and distributing intrusion alert information among collaborating computer systems are provided. These systems and methods provide an alert correlator and an alert distributor that enable early signs of an attack to be detected and rapidly disseminated to collaborating systems. The alert correlator utilizes data structures to correlate alert detections and provide a mechanism through which threat information can be revealed to other collaborating systems. The alert distributor uses an efficient technique to group collaborating systems and then pass data between certain members of those groups according to a schedule. In this way data can be routinely distributed without generating excess traffic loads.

Claims70

Dependent claims

A method of detecting a threat to a computer system in a plurality of collaborating computer systems, the method comprising:

grouping a first computer system, a collaborating second computer system and other collaborating systems into groups so that each collaborating system in a group occupies a position in that group;
receiving, at the first computer system, a first one-way data structure from the collaborating second computer system, the first one-way data structure representing first data relating to a first intrusion attempt detected by an intrusion detection system of the collaborating second computer system such that the first data is hidden in the first one-way data structure, the receiving comprising periodically exchanging one-way data structures between the first computer system and the collaborating second computer system when in the same position in the different groups;
detecting, using an intrusion detection system of the first computer system, a second intrusion attempt;
storing second data relating to the second intrusion attempt in a second one-way data structure of the first computer system such that the second data is hidden in the second one-way data structure;
determining whether the second intrusion attempt correlates with the first intrusion attempt by comparing the first data structure and the second data structure;
indicating that a threat is present if the second intrusion attempt is determined to correlate with the data received from the collaborating second computer system relating to the first intrusion attempt;
rotating the position occupied by each member of at least one of the groups according to a schedule;
and
changing the schedule,
wherein the first one-way data structure is a bloom filter.

7 more elements

A method of detecting a threat to a computer system in a plurality of collaborating computer systems, the method comprising:

grouping a first computer system, a collaborating second computer system and other collaborating systems into groups so that each collaborating system in a group occupies a position in that group;
receiving, at the first computer system, a first data structure from the collaborating second computer system, the first data structure representing first data relating to a first intrusion attempt detected by an intrusion detection system of the collaborating second computer system such that the first data is hidden in the first data structure, the receiving comprising periodically exchanging one-way data structures between the first computer system and the collaborating second computer system when in the same position in the different groups;
receiving an indication of a characteristic of the collaborating second computer system;
detecting, using an intrusion detection system of the first computer system, a second intrusion attempt;
storing second data relating to the second intrusion attempt in a second data structure of the first computer system such that the second data is hidden in the second data structure;
determining whether the second intrusion attempt correlates with the first intrusion attempt by comparing the first data structure and the second data structure;
based on the characteristic of the collaborating second computer system, indicating that a threat is present if the second intrusion attempt is determined to correlate with the first intrusion attempt;
rotating the position occupied by each member of at least one of the groups according to a schedule;
and
changing the schedule,
wherein the first data structure is a bloom filter.

8 more elements

A system configured to detect intrusion attempts in a computer system among a plurality of collaborating computer systems, comprising:

at least one server that:
groups a collaborating computer system and other collaborating systems into groups so that each collaborating system in a group occupies a position in that group;
receives a first one-way data structure from the collaborating computer system, wherein the first one-way data structure represents first data relating to a first intrusion attempt detected by an intrusion detection system of the collaborating computer system such that the first data is hidden in the first one-way data structure, wherein the at least one server in receiving at least periodically exchanges one-way data structures with the collaborating computer system based on the position of the collaborating computer system;
detects a second intrusion attempt;
stores second data relating to the second intrusion attempt in a second one-way data structure such that the second data is hidden in the second one-way data structure;
determines whether the second intrusion attempt correlates with the first intrusion attempt by comparing the first one-way data structure and the second one-way data structure;
and
indicates that a threat is present if the second intrusion attempt is determined to correlate with the first intrusion attempt;
rotates the position occupied by each member of at least one of the groups according to a schedule;
and
changes the schedule,
wherein the first one-way data structure is a bloom filter.

9 more elements

A method of detecting a threat to a computer system in a plurality of collaborating computer systems, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first computer system, a first one-way data structure from a collaborating second computer system, the first one-way data structure representing first data relating to a first intrusion attempt detected by an intrusion detection system of the collaborating second computer system such that the first data is hidden in the first one-way data structure, wherein the first one-way data structure is a bloom filter that is used to hide information regarding the first intrusion attempt;
detecting, using an intrusion detection system of the first computer system, a second intrusion attempt;
storing second data relating to the second intrusion attempt in a second one-way data structure of the first computer system such that the second data is hidden in the second one-way data structure, wherein the storing comprises:
forming a hash of the second data relating to the second intrusion attempt using at least one of the SHA-1 and the MD-5 hashing algorithms;
using the hash as an index to the bloom filter;
and
setting corresponding bits in the bloom filter based on the index;
determining whether the second intrusion attempt correlates with the first intrusion attempt by comparing the first data structure and the second data structure;
and
indicating that a threat is present if the second intrusion attempt is determined to correlate with the data received from the collaborating second computer system relating to the first intrusion attempt.

7 more elements

A method of detecting a threat to a computer system in a plurality of collaborating computer systems, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first computer system, a first data structure from a collaborating second computer system, the first data structure representing first data relating to a first intrusion attempt detected by an intrusion detection system of the collaborating second computer system such that the first data is hidden in the first data structure, wherein the first data structure is a bloom filter that is used to hide information regarding the first intrusion attempt;
receiving an indication of a characteristic of the collaborating second computer system;
detecting, using an intrusion detection system of the first computer system, a second intrusion attempt;
storing second data relating to the second intrusion attempt in a second data structure of the first computer system such that the second data is hidden in the second data structure, wherein the storing comprises:
forming a hash of the second data relating to the second intrusion attempt using at least one of the SHA-1 and the MD-5 hashing algorithms;
using the hash as an index to the bloom filter;
and
setting corresponding bits in the bloom filter based on the index;
determining whether the second intrusion attempt correlates with the first intrusion attempt by comparing the first data structure and the second data structure;
and
based on the characteristic of the collaborating second computer system, indicating that a threat is present if the second intrusion attempt is determined to correlate with the first intrusion attempt.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for correlating and distributing intrusion alert information among collaborating computer systems

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for correlating and distributing intrusion alert information among collaborating computer systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims70