PUSH UPDATE SYSTEM

• US 20090228577A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Network Box Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Network Box Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Webb-Johnson, Mark Crispin
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A push update system for a security system having a plurality of network nodes connected in a hierarchy to a root node, including: (i) an upstream agent of an upstream node for sending updates for respective downstream nodes; (ii) a schedule agent for scheduling processing by the upstream agent; (iii) a downstream agent of a downstream node for receiving and storing updates; and (iv) an update agent for processing received updates to queue updates for a downstream node. The root node includes the upstream agent and the schedule agent. Leaf nodes include the downstream agent, and intermediate nodes include all four agents. The updates include Internet threat signatures for Internet protection appliances of the leaf nodes.

Claims

1. A push update system for a security system having a plurality of network nodes connected in a hierarchy to a root node, including:

an upstream agent of an upstream node for sending updates for respective downstream nodes;

a schedule agent for scheduling processing by said upstream agent; and

an update agent for processing received updates to queue updates for a downstream node.

2. A push update system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a downstream agent of a downstream node for receiving and storing updates.

3. A push update system as claimed in claim 2, wherein an intermediate node of the hierarchy includes said upstream agent, said schedule agent, said downstream agent and said update agent.

4. A push update system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said root node of the hierarchy includes said upstream agent and said schedule agent.

5. A push update system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a leaf node of the hierarchy includes said downstream agent.

6. A push update system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said leaf node comprises an Internet protection appliance.

7. A push update system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said downstream agent executes commands of an update.

8. A push update system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said downstream agent downloads updates for the downstream node, stores the data of the update, and determines whether installation of a package or commands are to be executed.

9. A push update system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said downstream agent validates credentials of a connecting upstream node.

10. A push update system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said updates include at least one of the following:

(i) files maintained on an upstream node;

(ii) files maintained on a downstream node that are backed up on an upstream node;

(iii) signatures;

(iv) packages for one time delivery and installation, such as self-extracting files; and

(v) commands to be run on a downstream node of the hierarchy.

11. A push update system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upstream agent is invoked with node identification data representing a downstream node, and determines a last update time the node identified by the node ID data received an update, collects updates required since the last update time, checks connectivity to the node and builds an update package with the updates for delivery to the downstream node.

12. A push update system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said upstream agent deletes the update package when the delivery is unsuccessful, and sets the last update time.

13. A push update system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said schedule agent processes updates queued for downstream nodes and based on node selection criteria data, invokes the upstream agent for a downstream node with corresponding node identification data.

14. A push update system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said node selection criteria data includes priority data and/or load balancing criteria data.

15. A push update system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said update agent processes the received updates stored in a download directory for parameters to determine updates to be sent to a downstream node, and moves the updates for said downstream node to an output directory for processing by the schedule agent.

16. A push update system as claimed in claim 1, wherein signatures received by the root node are added to an update for a downstream node based on configuration data for the downstream node.

18. A push update system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said downstream nodes include:

at least one intermediate node including said upstream agent, said schedule agent and a downstream agent for receiving and storing updates, and an update agent for processing received updates to queue updates for a downstream node; and

leaf nodes including said security appliance and said downstream agent.

19. A push update system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said downstream agent validates credentials of a connecting upstream node, downloads updates for the downstream node, stores the data of the update, and determines whether installation of a package or commands are to be executed.

17. A push update system for a security system, including:

a central server system for receiving threat signatures including an upstream agent for sending updates with said threat signatures for respective downstream nodes, and a schedule agent for scheduling operation of said upstream agent for a downstream node; and

downstream nodes including a security appliance for receiving and storing said updates.

20. A push update system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said update agent processes the received updates stored in a download directory for parameters to determine updates to be sent to a downstream node, and moves the updates for said downstream node to an output directory for processing by the schedule agent.

21. A push update system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said upstream agent is invoked with node identification data representing a downstream node, and determines a last update time the node identified by the node ID data received an update, collects updates since the last update time, checks connectivity to the node and builds an update package with the updates for delivery to the downstream node.

22. A push update system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said upstream agent deletes the update package when the delivery is unsuccessful, and sets the last update time.

23. A push update system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said schedule agent processes updates queued for downstream nodes and based on priority data and/or load balancing criteria data, invokes the upstream agent for a downstream node with corresponding node identification data.

24. A push update system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said node selection criteria data includes priority data and/or load balancing criteria data.

25. A push update system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said downstream agent executes commands of an update.

26. A push update system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said updates include at least one of the following:

(i) files maintained on an upstream node;

(ii) files maintained on a downstream node that are backed up on an upstream node;

(iii) signatures;

(iv) packages for one time delivery and installation, such as self-extracting files; and

(v) commands to be run on a downstream node of the hierarchy.

27. A push update system as claimed in 17, wherein said signatures received by the central server system are added to an update for a downstream node based on configuration data for the downstream node.

28. A push update method for a security system having a plurality of network nodes connected in a hierarchy to a root node, including:

sending updates from an upstream agent of an upstream node to respective downstream nodes;

scheduling processing by said upstream agent using a schedule agent; and

processing received updates, using an update agent, to queue updates for a downstream node.