Network policy management and effectiveness system

• US 20050010820A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Longhorn HD LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Marcartan LLC
• Inventors: Jacobson, Andrea M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,231,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• 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 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• 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 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for maintaining policy compliance on a computer network is provided. The method provides the steps of electronically monitoring network user compliance with a network security policy stored in a database, electronically evaluating network security policy compliance based on network user compliance, and electronically undertaking a network policy compliance action in response to network security policy compliance.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically assisting a system administrator of a computer network in upgrading compliance policy based on behavior of system users, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in a database a plurality of compliance policy opti9ons;

developing an initial compliance policy option potentially applicable to network users;

automatically evaluating over time the appropriateness of the initial compliance policy option based on the potentially evolving compliance history of users;

automatically compiling and providing to the system administrator over time a dynamic knowledge base comprising automated network user policy compliance violation documentation;

automatically determining from the knowledge base policy compliance violation documentation that the initial compliance policy option is ineffective;

automatically selecting from the database and recommending to the system administrator an alternate compliance policy options; and

automatically requesting that the system administrator confirm the change to the alternate compliance policy option

whereby compliance policy options are dynamically altered and provided to the system administrator in order to eliminate ineffective compliance policy options

2-12. -12. cancel.