METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION

• US 20100043074A1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forcepoint Federal Holdings LLC (Forcepoint LLC)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Scates, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis

Abstract

A method of risk management across a mission support network is provided, including identifying a mission of the mission support network, and identifying, by a computer processor, assets of the mission support network. The assets include a mission asset to support the mission and a support asset to provide support to the mission asset. Each of the assets is characterized by a criticality index value to measure how important the asset is to a performance of the mission, and a vulnerability index value to measure a vulnerability of the asset to a threat.

Claims

1. A method of risk management across a mission support network, comprising:

identifying a mission of the mission support network; and

identifying, by a computer processor, assets of the mission support network, the assets comprising;

a mission asset to support the mission; and

a support asset to provide support to the mission asset;

wherein each of the assets is characterized by a criticality index value to measure how important the asset is to a performance of the mission, and a vulnerability index value to measure a vulnerability of the asset to a threat.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an impact of a threat placed on the mission support network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

managing a risk to the mission support network based on the impact of the threat.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein managing the risk comprises:

reducing the vulnerabilities of at least one of the assets.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein reducing the vulnerabilities comprises:

reducing the vulnerability index value of at least one of the assets before an occurrence of the threat.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein managing the risk comprises:

identifying a mitigation action to mitigate the impact of the threat.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mitigation action comprises:

identifying a backup asset to replace at least one of the assets during an occurrence of the threat.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein managing the risk comprises:

defining countermeasures to mitigate the risk.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the support asset further comprises:

a threatened asset upon which an impact of a threat is applied; and

identifying the impact of the threat on the mission asset based on the support provided by the threatened asset.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mission support network comprises a first mission support network and a second mission support network coupled to the first mission support network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one first infrastructure asset represents a first sector and at least one second infrastructure asset represents a second sector.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting the mission support network to enable display to a user.

13. The method of claim 12, outputting further comprises:

applying a filter to the mission support network based on a role of the user.

14. An article comprising:

a machine-readable medium that stores executable instructions to provide risk management across a mission support network, the executable instructions causing a machine to;

identify a mission of the mission support network; and

identify assets of the mission support network, the assets comprising;

a mission asset to support the mission; and

a support asset to provide support to the mission asset;

wherein each of the assets is characterized by a criticality index value to measure how important the asset is to a performance of the mission, and a vulnerability index value to measure a vulnerability of the asset to a threat.

15. The article according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further cause a machine to:

identify an impact of a threat placed on the mission support network.

16. The article according to claim 15, wherein the executable instructions further cause a machine to:

manage a risk to the mission support network based on the impact of the threat.

17. The article according to claim 16, wherein managing the risk comprises:

reducing the vulnerabilities of at least one of the assets.

18. The article according to claim 17, wherein reducing the vulnerabilities comprises:

reducing the vulnerability index value of at least one of the assets before an occurrence of the threat.

19. The article according to claim 16, wherein managing the risk comprises:

identifying a mitigation action to mitigate the impact of the threat.

20. The article according to claim 19, wherein identifying the mitigation action comprises:

identifying a backup asset to replace at least one of the assets during an occurrence of the threat.

21. The article according to claim 16, wherein managing the risk comprises:

defining countermeasures to mitigate the risk.

22. The article according to claim 14, wherein the support asset further comprises:

a threatened asset upon which an impact of a threat is applied; and

the executable instructions further cause a machine to;

identify the impact of the threat on the mission asset based on the support provided by the threatened asset.

23. The article according to claim 14, wherein the mission support network comprises a first mission support network and a second mission support network coupled to the first mission support network.

24. The article according to claim 23, wherein at least one first infrastructure asset represents a first sector and at least one second infrastructure asset represents a second sector.

25. The article according to claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further cause a machine to:

output the mission support network to enable display to a user.

26. The article according to claim 25, wherein outputting further comprises:

applying a filter to the mission support network based on a role of the user.

27. A method of risk management across a mission support network, comprising:

on a display, displaying a mission of the mission support network; and

displaying assets of the mission support network, the assets comprising;

a mission asset to support the mission; and

a support asset to provide support to the mission asset;

wherein each of the assets is characterized by a displayed criticality index value to measure how important the asset is to a performance of the mission, and a displayed vulnerability index value to measure a vulnerability of the asset to a threat.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

displaying an impact of a threat placed on the mission support network.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

managing a risk to the mission support network based on the displayed impact of the threat.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein managing the risk comprises:

reducing the vulnerabilities of at least one of the displayed assets.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein reducing the vulnerabilities comprises:

reducing the displayed vulnerability index value of at least one of the displayed assets before an occurrence of the threat.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein managing the risk comprises:

displaying a mitigation action to mitigate the impact of the threat.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the mitigation action comprises:

displaying a backup asset to replace at least one of the displayed assets during an occurrence of the threat.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the displayed support asset further comprises:

a threatened asset upon which an impact of a threat is applied; and

displaying the impact of the threat on the mission asset based on the support provided by the threatened asset.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the mission support network comprises a first mission support network and a second mission support network coupled to the first mission support network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one first infrastructure asset represents a first sector and at least one second infrastructure asset represents a second sector.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

displaying the mission asset as a mission icon having an upper portion including a displayed value representing the criticality index value and a lower portion including a displayed value representing the vulnerability index value; and

displaying the support asset as a support icon having an upper portion including a displayed value representing the criticality index value and a lower portion including a displayed value representing the vulnerability index value.