SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAPPING AND ANALYZING VULNERABILITIES IN NETWORKS

• US 20080259815A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Esri Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: FortiusOne , Inc. (Environmental Systems Research Institute Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gorman, Sean P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• 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 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Systems and methods for mapping and analyzing vulnerabilities in networks. In one embodiment, a network is mapped, comprising: converting network line data into point data; associating the point data with cells of a grid overlaying the network; and analyzing the network by determining the relationship of the point data to the cells of the grid.

Claims

1. A method for mapping a network, comprising:

converting network line data into point data for a network;

associating the point data with cells of a grid overlaying the network; and

analyzing the network by determining the relationship of the point data to the cells of the grid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein attribute data is assigned to the point data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a the network is a spatial network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing comprises determining critical cells based on the association.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing comprises determining the number of points in each of the cells.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing comprises assigning a weight to each point of the point data.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining the total weight of points in each of the cells.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising computing the ratio of the total weight of points in each cell divided by the number of points in each cell.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting network line data into point data for at least one additional network;

assigning attribute data to the point data for the at least one additional network;

associating the point data for the at least one additional network with cells of a grid overlaying the at least one additional network; and

analyzing relationships between the networks by analyzing the points in corresponding cells across the networks.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing at least one cell from the grid; and

examining the effect on the network caused by removing the at least one cell.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the association comprises:

creating a second network based on the relationship of point data to cells;

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating a cell adjacency list based on which cells are adjacent to each other; and

determining disjoint paths between cells based on the cell adjacency list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein disjointness of paths is calculated utilizing the ratio of the sum of the common cells of the paths divided by the sum of the cells of the paths.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the line data comprises:

satellite imagery data;

digitized map data;

or

any combination of the above

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the network data comprises:

static network data;

dynamic network data;

satellite network data;

telecommunication data;

marketing data;

demographic data;

business data;

right-of-way routing data;

or

regional location data;

or

any combination of the above.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the telecommunication data comprises:

metropolitan area fiber data;

long haul fiber data;

co-location facilities data;

internet exchanges data;

wireless tower data;

wire center data;

undersea cables data;

undersea cable landings data;

or

data center data;

or

any combination of the above.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the right-of-way routing data comprises:

gas pipeline data;

oil pipeline data;

highway data;

rail data;

or

electric power transmission lines data;

or

any combination of the above.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the static network data comprises:

ip network data;

or

network topology data;

or

any combination of the above.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the dynamic network data comprises network traffic data.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the network data is obtained by:

purchasing data;

manually constructing data;

mining data from external sources;

probing networks;

tracing networks;

accessing proprietary data;

or

digitizing hard copy data;

or

any combination of the above.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the regional location data includes at least one of:

continent information;

nation information;

state information;

county information;

zip code information;

census block information;

census track information;

time information;

metropolitan information;

or

functional information;

or

any combination of the above.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the functional information is defined using at least one of:

a formula;

a federal reserve bank region;

a trade zone;

a census region;

or

a monetary region;

or

any combination of the above.