Security appliances

• US 20070192867A1
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NetClarity, Inc. (Jacobs Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NetClarity, Inc. (Jacobs Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miliefsky, Gary
• Application Number:
  US11/338,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A security micro-appliance provides dynamic, reconfigurable threat protection. The micro-appliance may be deployed as a standalone system, or as a component in a distributed security system management from a central administrative location. In another aspect, a security appliance or micro-appliance employs RSS feeds and XML-based tests, alerts, and the like for monitoring and dynamic reconfiguration.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first communications interface to a wide area network;

a second communications interface to a corporate network;

a processor executing a security engine, the security engine adapted to communicate over the corporate network to perform a security audit, scan the corporate network for attached devices, dynamically detect changes to attached devices, and prepare a network based asset list, the security engine further adapted to reconfigure INFOSEC countermeasures based upon at least one cyber-threat and at least one vulnerability profile of a network based asset in the network based asset list, and the security engine further adapted to communicate over the wide area network to received updated security tests and provide updates to a remote location;

a memory storing the network based asset list; and

an appliance housing substantially enclosing the first communications interface, the second communications interface, the processor, and the memory.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one cyberthreat includes a local cyber-threat.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one cyberthreat includes a global cyber-threat.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the INFOSEC countermeasures include one or more of a firewall, and anti-virus system, an anti-spyware system, a virtual private networking system, an intrusion detection system, an intrusion prevention system, a router, and a smart-switch.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the remote location includes an INFOSEC server.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the wide area network is the Internet.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the wide area network includes a private area network.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the wide area network includes a campus network.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the corporate network includes a local area network.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the corporate network includes a virtual private network.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the corporate network includes a wireless network.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the security engine is adapted to update one or more regulatory compliance tests.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the security engine is adapted to operate as a standalone network security device.

14. The device of claim 13 further comprising an interface engine executing on the processor that provides an executive dashboard for user access.

15. The device of claim 13 further comprising an interface engine executing on the processor that provides an administrative dashboard employing data received from the device.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the security engine is adapted to operate as a remote network security device, the security engine adapted to communicate over the wide area network with a centralized security management facility.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the centralized security management facility provides an administrative dashboard employing data received from the device.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the administrative dashboard includes a secure sockets layer, secure hypertext transport protocol, graphical user interface for system administrators.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein the centralized security management facility provides an executive dashboard employing data received from the device.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the executive dashboard includes a secure sockets layer (SSL), secure hypertext transport protocol (HTTPS), graphical user interface (GUI) for predetermined executives.

21-50. -50. (canceled)