Method and system for providing cloud based network security services

#Undoubtedly, many businesses, organizations, enterprises, and other entities rely heavily on computer networks as part of their business functions and operations. For example, a large number of businesses conduct commerce over these networks by advertising, selling, and otherwise communicating with third parties. Such networks can involve both trusted and untrusted networks and systems. As such, businesses, particularly large ones, routinely make substantial investments in network security to ensure that their information (which may include sensitive financial and/or personal data) is protected.

#All of the legitimate uses of computer networking come with the perils associated with the potential to abuse access to a computer network, both from users within the network and from third parties outside of the network. Such abuse can take a variety of forms, including, for instance, attempts by third parties to disable computer resources (“denial of service attacks”), to misappropriate confidential information, to improperly use computer resources, to infect computers with viruses or other malware, or to send unwanted email (“spam”). Users from within a network can exploit their network privileges to gain access to websites (e.g. audio streaming) unrelated to the legitimate uses of their accounts. These security compromises exact a heavy burden in terms of costs to organizations. Moreover, as the number of users increases, and thus, the network is scaled up accordingly, the security concerns and costs are even greater in that most security solutions do not scale well. That is, as network components are acquired to service the new users, so too are the necessary security software/hardware. Furthermore, new network security threats and attacks are continually encountered, thereby requiring organizations to periodically update their security infrastructures.

#Therefore, there is a need for an approach that can efficiently and effectively provide scalable, on-demand computer network security services.

#Various exemplary embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

#FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system utilizing a security center to provide security services, according to an exemplary embodiment;

#FIG. 1B is a flowchart of a process for providing security services, according to an exemplary embodiment;

#A preferred apparatus, method, and software for providing cloud based computer network security services are described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the preferred embodiments of the invention. It is apparent, however, that the preferred embodiments may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the preferred embodiments of the invention.

#Although various exemplary embodiments are described with respect to certain types of communication devices, it is contemplated that various exemplary embodiments are also applicable to remotely configuring other devices, entities, facilities, systems, etc.

#FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system utilizing a security center to provide security services, according to an exemplary embodiment. For the purposes of illustration, system 100 for providing computer network security services to customers (or subscribers) is described with respect to multiple customer computer networks 119, 121, 129 and 131. According to certain embodiments, a service provider operates a security center (or cloud) 133 to supply various security services to the subscribers. Each of these networks 119, 121, 129 and 131 can access security center 133 to invoke one or more of the security services, depending on the subscription of the particular customer. Security center 133, in certain embodiments, can be implemented as a network cloud to enable enhanced accessibility by the subscribers' networks 119, 121, 129 and 131. Although the security services of security center 133 are described as a managed service offered by a service provider, it is contemplated that the security center 133 can be deployed by one of the subscribers for its own interconnected, geographically disperse networks (such may be the case for large enterprises).