System and methods for efficiently classifying and selecting among security policy alternatives for outbound network communications
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsGary Owen McAfee, John Majikes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer-implemented method of selecting among a plurality of endpoint policy alternatives to apply to a message conveyed over a data communications network is provided. The method can include assigning a score to each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives, wherein an assigned score is based upon policy assertions of the endpoint policy alternative to which the score is assigned. The method can further include selecting, according to a predetermined selection criterion, one of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives based upon the assigned scores.
Claims15
A computer-implemented method of selecting among a plurality of endpoint policy alternatives to apply to a message conveyed over a data communications network, the method comprising:
- configuring a computer system having at least one memory and at least one processor to perform the following steps:
- assigning a score to each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives, each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives comprising a plurality of policy assertions, and the score being a sum of predefined weights assigned to each of the plurality of policy assertions, wherein each predefined weight is represented by a unique bit sequence that distinguishes each of the plurality of policy assertions to which the unique bit sequence is assigned from each of the other of the plurality of policy assertions;
- and
- selecting according to a predetermined selection criterion one of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives based upon the assigned scores.
A computer-based system for selecting among a plurality of endpoint policy alternatives to apply to a message conveyed over a data communications network, the system comprising:
- at least one processor for processing processor-executable instructions;
- a score-assigning module configured to execute on the at least one processor for causing the at least one processor to assign a score to each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives, each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives comprising a plurality of policy assertions, and the score being a sum of predefined weights assigned to each of the plurality of policy assertions, wherein each redefined weight is represented by a unique bit sequence that distinguishes each of the plurality of policy assertions to which the unique bit sequence is assigned from each of the other of the plurality of policy assertions;
- and
- an alternative-selecting module configured to execute on the at east one processor for causing the at least one processor to select, according to a predetermined selection criterion, one of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives based upon the assigned scores.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage comprising computer-executable instructions for causing the computer to select among a plurality of endpoint policy alternatives to apply to a message conveyed over a data communications network by performing the steps of:
- assigning a score to each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives, each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives comprising a plurality of policy assertions, and the score being a sum of predefined weights assigned to each of the plurality of policy assertions, wherein each predefined weight is represented by a unique bit sequence that distinguishes each of the plurality of policy assertions to which the unique bit sequence is assigned from each of the other of the plurality of policy assertions;
- and
- selecting according to a predetermined selection criterion one of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives based upon the assigned scores.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.