Technologies for annotating process and user information for network flows

• US 10,171,319 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yadav, Navindra, Singh, Abhishek Ranjan, Gupta, Anubhav, Gandham, Shashidhar, Pang, Jackson Ngoc Ki, Chang, Shih-Chun, Vu, Hai Trong
• Primary Examiner(s): Sun, Charlie
• Application Number:
  US15/152,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20160357587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/137 Hash-based content-based indexing of textual data G06F16/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/17 Details of further file system functions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/173 Customisation support for file systems, e.g. localisation, multi-language support, personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/174 Redundancy elimination performed by the file system management of the data involved in backup or backup restore using de-duplication of the data G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 using compression, e.g. sparse files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1748 De-duplication implemented within the file system, e.g. based on file segments de-duplication techniques in storage systems for the management of data blocks G06F3/0641
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2322 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/235 Update request formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45587 Isolation or security of virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45591 Monitoring or debugging support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 : Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 : by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 : involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/556 : involving covert channels, i.e. data leakage between processes inhibiting the analysis of circuitry or operation with measures against power attack G06F21/755
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/566 : Dynamic detection, i.e. detection performed at run-time, e.g. emulation, suspicious activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/033 : Test or assess software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 : Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 : Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 : Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 : Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 : Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 : Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 : Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 : Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0661 : using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/14 : Monitoring arrangements for SDH/SONET rings H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/242 : by comparing a transmitted test signal with a locally generated replica
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 : comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 : by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 : the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 : Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 : Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 : Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 : using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 : using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/02 : Capturing of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/026 : using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 : Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 : for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 : related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 : Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 : by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 : by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 : Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0841 : Round trip packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 : One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 : Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 : Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 : Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 : Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 : using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 : Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 : Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 : the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 : Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 : Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/46 : Cluster building
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/507 : Label distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/66 : Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 : Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 : Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 : Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 : relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 : involving identification of individual flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/28 : in relation to timing considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/31 : by tagging of packets, e.g. using discard eligibility [DE] bits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 : by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 : Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 : Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 : Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 : for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 : by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 : Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 : Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 : Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 : Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 : the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 : Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 : Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/16 : Implementing security features at a particular protocol layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 : for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 : Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 : Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/10 : Arrangements for initial synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 : involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 : involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 : involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 : based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for annotating process and user information for network flows. In some embodiments, a capturing agent, executing on a first device in a network, can monitor a network flow associated with the first device. The first device can be, for example, a virtual machine, a hypervisor, a server, or a network device. Next, the capturing agent can generate a control flow based on the network flow. The control flow may include metadata that describes the network flow. The capturing agent can then determine which process executing on the first device is associated with the network flow and label the control flow with this information. Finally, the capturing agent can transmit the labeled control flow to a second device, such as a collector, in the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, by a capturing agent executing on a first device in a network, a network flow associated with the first device;

generating a control flow based on the network flow, the control flow comprising metadata describing the network flow;

determining which process executing on the first device is associated with the network flow to yield process information;

labeling the control flow with the process information to yield a labeled control flow;

transmitting the labeled control flow to a second device in the network; and

determining, by the second device, a relationship based on the network flow and the process executing on the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein,

the second device is a collector that is configured to receive a plurality of control flows from a plurality of devices,

the second device is configured to analyze the plurality of control flows to determine relationships between network flows and corresponding processes of the first device and one or more of the plurality of devices, and

the second device is configured to map the relationships between the network flows and the corresponding processes of the first device and the one or more of the plurality of devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing agent is at least one of a process, a cluster of processes, a kernel module, or a kernel driver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata relates to at least one of network data, an active process of the system, a previously active process of the first device, or a file that is present on the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing agent runs on a guest operating system installed in a virtual machine on the first device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing agent runs on a host operating system installed at a hypervisor layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing agent is one of a process or a component in a network switch.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining which operating system user of the first device is associated with the network flow to yield user information;

labeling the labeled control flow with the user information to yield a second labeled control flow; and

transmitting the second labeled control flow to the second device.

9. A system comprising:

a processor;

a virtual machine, the virtual machine having a first capturing agent, wherein the first capturing agent is configured to;

monitor a first network flow associated with the virtual machine;

generate a first control flow based on the first network flow, the first control flow comprising first metadata describing the first network flow;

label the first control flow with a first identifier of a first process executing on the virtual machine and being associated with the first network flow to yield a first labeled control flow; and

transmit the first labeled control flow to a collector via the network; and

a hypervisor hosting the virtual machine using one or more hardware resources including a processor, the hypervisor having a second capturing agent, wherein the second capturing agent is configured to use the one or more hardware resources to;

monitor a second network flow associated with the hypervisor, the second network flow comprising the first labeled control flow;

generate a second control flow based on the second network flow, the second control flow comprising second metadata describing the second network flow;

label the second control flow with a second identifier of a second process executing on the hypervisor and being associated with the second network flow to yield a second labeled control flow; and

transmit the second labeled control flow to the collector via, the network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the collector is configured to receive a plurality of control flows from a plurality of devices and analyze the plurality of control flows to determine relationships between network flows and corresponding processes of the first device and one or more of the plurality of devices.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising;

a switch in the network, the switch having a third capturing agent, wherein the third capturing agent is configured to;

monitor a third network flow associated with the switch, the third network flow comprising the first labeled control flow and the second labeled control flow;

generate a third control flow based on the third network flow, the third control flow comprising third metadata describing the third network flow;

label the third control flow with a third identifier of a third process executing on the switch and being associated with the third network flow to yield a third labeled control flow; and

transmit the third labeled control flow to the collector via the network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the first capturing agent and the second capturing agent is at least one of a process, a cluster of processes, a kernel module, or a kernel driver.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first capturing agent runs on a guest operating system installed in the virtual machine and the second capturing agent runs on a host operating system installed on the hypervisor.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

monitoring, by a capturing agent running on a first device in a network, a network flow associated with the first device;

generating a control flow based on the network flow, the control flow comprising metadata describing the network flow;

determining which user of the first device is associated with the network flow to yield user information;

labeling the control flow with the user information to yield a labeled control flow;

transmitting the labeled control flow to a second device in the network; and

determining, by the second device, a relationship based on the network flow and the user associated with the network flow.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the user is an operating system user account.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein, the second device is a collector that is configured to receive a plurality of control flows from a plurality of devices, the second device is configured to analyze the plurality of control flows to determine relationships between network flows and corresponding users of the first device and one or more of the plurality of devices, and the second device is configured to map the relationships between the network flows and the corresponding processes of the first device and the one or more of the plurality of devices.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the capturing agent is at least one of a process, a kernel module, or a kernel driver.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the capturing agent runs on one of (i) a guest operating system installed in a virtual machine on the first device, or (ii) a host operating system installed at a hypervisor layer.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the capturing agent is one of a process or a component in a network switch.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

determining which process executing on the first device is associated with the network flow to yield process information;

labeling the labeled control flow with the process information to yield a second labeled control flow; and

transmitting the second labeled control flow to the second device.