Anti-vulnerability system, method, and computer program product

A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

• code for identifying at least one aspect of at least one networked device;
• code for accessing at least one data structure describing a plurality of techniques capable of at least mitigating a plurality of particular weaknesses, each of the techniques capable of at least mitigating a corresponding particular weakness, where:
• a first technique is described which is capable of removing a first particular weakness by completing an installation of software for at least mitigating the first particular weakness,
• a second technique is described which is capable of removing a second particular weakness by affecting a service for at least mitigating the second particular weakness, and
• a third technique is described which is capable of removing a third particular weakness by changing a configuration for at least mitigating the third particular weakness;
• the first technique, the second technique, and the third technique being different from each other;
• code for determining whether the at least one networked device actually has one or more of the particular weaknesses, based on the at least one data structure and the at least one aspect of the at least one networked device;
• code for performing one or more actions based on the determination, such that:
• when it is determined that the at least one networked device actually has the first particular weakness:
• the first technique is applied on the at least one networked device by automatically completing the installation of the software on the at least one networked device for at least mitigating the first particular weakness on the at least one networked device;
• when it is determined that the at least one networked device actually has the second particular weakness:
• the second technique is applied on the at least one networked device by automatically affecting the service in connection with the at least one networked device for at least mitigating the second particular weakness on the at least one networked device;
• when it is determined that the at least one networked device actually has the third particular weakness:
• the third technique is applied on the at least one networked device by automatically changing the configuration of the at least one networked device for at least mitigating the third particular weakness on the at least one networked device;
• code for generating status information indicating whether at least one of the first technique, the second technique, or the third technique has been applied;
• and
• code for communicating the status information such that, in response to an identification of a request for a network resource by the at least one networked device, a reaction to the request for the network resource is capable of being caused, based the status information;
• wherein the computer program product is operable such that, in addition to being capable of supporting at least one aspect of both the identification of the at least one aspect of the at least one networked device and the performance of the one or more actions, a single client agent is further capable of supporting at least one aspect of the communication of the status information such that, in response to the identification of the request for the network resource by the at least one networked device, the reaction to the request for the network resource is capable of being caused, based the status information, which is identified in connection with the identification of the request for the network resource.

A computer program product embodied on at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

• code for deploying a single client agent to at least one of a plurality of devices, the single client agent being capable of both identifying a plurality of aspects of the at least one device that are the bases for a plurality of weaknesses and applying a plurality of remediation techniques that remediate the weaknesses based on at least one data structure identifying the remediation techniques that remediate the weaknesses, where:
• each of at least a portion of the remediation techniques remediates at least one of the plurality of weaknesses;
• each of at least a portion of the remediation techniques has a remediation type including at least one of installation of software, a policy setting, or a configuration;
• said at least one data structure identifies:
• a first remediation technique that remediates a first particular weakness by automatically installing software for at least mitigating the first particular weakness,
• a second remediation technique that remediates a second particular weakness by automatically affecting a service for at least mitigating the second particular weakness, and
• a third remediation technique that remediates a third particular weakness by automatically changing a configuration or policy setting for at least mitigating the third particular weakness;
• the first remediation technique, the second remediation technique, and the third remediation technique being different from each other;
• and
• code for:
• identifying at least one of a first aspect, a second aspect, or a third aspect of the at least one device that is a basis for at least one of the first particular weakness, the second particular weakness, or the third particular weakness, utilizing the single client agent,
• determining whether the at least one device is subject to at least one of the first particular weakness, the second particular weakness, or the third particular weakness, based on the at least one data structure and at least one of the first aspect, the second aspect, or the third aspect of the at least one device,
• conditionally applying at least one of the first remediation technique, the second remediation technique, or the third remediation technique to the at least one device, utilizing the single client agent, based on the determination whether the at least one device is subject to the at least one of the first particular weakness, the second particular weakness, or the third particular weakness, and
• reporting to at least one server, utilizing the single client agent, at least one of first status information relating to the application of the first remediation technique, second status information relating to the application of the second remediation technique, or third status information relating to the application of the third remediation technique;
• wherein the computer program product is operable such that, in addition to being capable of supporting both identifying the aspects of the devices that are the bases for the weaknesses and applying the remediation techniques that remediate the weaknesses, the single client agent is further capable of supporting at least one aspect of the reporting which, in turn, is capable of being used for supporting at least one aspect of:
• identifying a request for a network resource by the at least one device including a connection request, and, after the identification of the request for the network resource, blocking the connection request based on at least one of the first status information, the second status information, or the third status information, which is received in connection with the request for the network resource.