Security indication spanning tree system and method

• US 20050050350A1
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Cain, Stuart
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis

Abstract

A security indication spanning tree system and method is presented. In one embodiment the asset value of a network node is determined. The exposure rating of said network node is ascertained. The impact risk to a preferred functionality due to an attack from another network node is analyzed. A spanning tree schematic of a network including the network node is created, wherein the spanning tree schematic includes an indication of the asset value.

Claims

1. A security indication spanning tree method comprising:

determining asset value of a network node;

ascertaining exposure rating of said network node;

establishing a functional priority risk indicator for indicating the likelihood of an attack from another network node; and

creating a spanning tree schematic of a network including said network node,

wherein said spanning tree schematic includes an indication of said asset value.

2. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 wherein said spanning tree schematic includes an indication of said exposure rating.

3. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 wherein said spanning tree schematic includes an indication of said attack risk.

4. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 wherein said asset value provides an indication of an economic value of functions provided by said network node.

5. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 said asset value corresponds to an economic impact of a disruption to functionality provided by said network node.

6. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 wherein said exposure rating defines a threshold value corresponding to connectivity of the network node with other network nodes.

7. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 wherein said network node is given an exposure rating value based upon a connectivity distance from a root node.

8. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 wherein said root node is a node closest to an external network.

9. A security indication spanning tree method of claim 1 wherein said functional priority risk indicator is associated with an economic benefit and utility of functionality said network node provides.

10. A security indication spanning tree system comprising:

a bus for communicating information;

a processor coupled to said bus, said processor for processing said information including instructions for building an attack impact susceptibility spanning tree representation including asset value factors; and

a memory coupled to said bus, said memory for storing said information, including instructions for building said attack impact susceptibility spanning tree representation including said asset value factors.

11. A security indication spanning tree system of claim 10 wherein said asset risk value is automatically determined..

12. A security indication spanning tree system of claim 10 further comprising a central console for interfacing with a network application management platform.

13. A security indication spanning tree system of claim 10 wherein said instructions include attack spread risk determination instructions.

14. A security indication spanning tree system of claim 10 wherein said instructions include exposure rating determination directions.

15. A computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to implement security indication spanning tree instructions comprising:

a device examination module for examining information regarding devices included in a centralized resource network, wherein said examining includes ascertaining what applications said devices support;

an importance indication module for obtaining an indication of a relative importance of functionality provided by said device; and

a spanning tree module for building a spanning tree topology representation including said indication of said relative importance of said device in supporting said applications.

16. A computer usable storage medium of claim 15 herein said relative importance of said device is based upon an economic value of functions said devices performs in support of said applications.

17. A computer usable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising an internal attack permeability module for investigating the permeability of a network in permitting an internal attack on a device from other devices included in the network.

18. A computer usable storage medium of claim 17 wherein said investigating includes:

analyzing the ease of attack on said device from other devices in said centralized resource network; and

assigning an connectivity threshold value to said device based upon said analysis of said ease of attack.

19. A computer usable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising an attack danger assessment module for assessing the danger of an attack from other devices included in said network.

20. A computer usable storage medium of claim 19 further comprising:

deriving an attack danger indication based upon said indication of said relative importance of said device and said connectivity threshold value; and

associating said attack danger indication with said device.