SECURITY POLICY ENFORCEMENT

• US 20140196108A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Deakin, Oliver M., Nicholson, Robert B., Barr, Arthur J., Thorne, Colin J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,288,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/205 involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24

Abstract

A method of operating a network message interceptor for enforcing a security policy for communication over a network between first and second network endpoints, the interceptor being in communication with the network and external to the first and second endpoints, the network including transport layer security, and the security policy identifying at least one valid security standards for communication over the network, the method comprising the steps of: intercepting a handshake message transmitted over the network between the first and second endpoints; extracting from the handshake message an identification of a security standard selected for the communication between the first and second endpoints; determining a validity status of the identified security standard based on the security policy; and preventing communication between the first and second endpoints based on a negatively determined validity status of the identified security standard.

Claims

1. A method of operating a network message interceptor for enforcing a security policy for communication over a network between first and second network endpoints, the interceptor being in communication with the network and external to the first and second network endpoints, the network including transport layer security, and the security policy identifying at least one valid security standards for communication over the network, the method comprising:

intercepting, by one or more processors, a handshake message transmitted over the network between the first and second network endpoints;

extracting, by one or more processors, from the handshake message an identification of a security standard selected for the communication between the first and second network endpoints;

determining, by one or more processors, a validity status of the identified security standard based on the security policy; and

preventing, by one or more processors, communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a negatively determined validity status of the identified security standard.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

permitting, by one or more processors, communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a positively determined validity status of the identified security standard.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

preventing, by one or more processors, communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a determination of an authorization component using an identification of each of the first and second network endpoints.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the security standard is a cipher suite.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the security policy identifies at least one of:

at least one key exchange method;

at least one encryption algorithm;

at least one message digest algorithm; and

at least one minimum key length.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the security standard identifies at least one of:

a key exchange method;

an encryption algorithm;

and a message digest algorithm.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the security policy indicates whether resumption of a communication session is allowable.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the interceptor is a transparent proxy.

9. A network message interceptor for enforcing a security policy for communication over a network between first and second network endpoints, the network message interceptor being in communication with the network and external to the first and second network endpoints, the network including transport layer security, and the security policy identifying at least one valid security standards for communication over the network, the network message interceptor comprising:

intercepting means for intercepting a handshake message transmitted over the network between the first and second network endpoints;

extracting means for extracting from the handshake message an identification of a security standard selected for the communication between the first and second network endpoints;

determining means for determining a validity status of the identified security standard based on the security policy; and

preventing means for preventing communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a negatively determined validity status of the identified security standard.

10. The network message interceptor of claim 9, further comprising:

permitting means for permitting communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a positively determined validity status of the identified security standard

11. The network message interceptor of claim 10, further comprising:

preventing means for preventing communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a determination of an authorization component using an identification of each of the first and second network endpoints.

12. The network message interceptor of claim 9, wherein the security standard is a cipher suite.

13. The network message interceptor of claim 9, wherein the security policy identifies at least one of:

at least one key exchange method;

at least one encryption algorithm;

at least one message digest algorithm; and

at least one minimum key length.

14. The network message interceptor of claim 9, wherein the security standard identifies at least one of:

a key exchange method;

an encryption algorithm; and

a message digest algorithm.

15. The network message interceptor of claim 9, wherein the security policy indicates whether resumption of a communication session is allowable.

16. The network message interceptor of claim 9, wherein the intercepting means is a transparent proxy.

17. A computer program product for operating a network message interceptor for enforcing a security policy for communication over a network between first and second network endpoints, the interceptor being in communication with the network and external to the first and second network endpoints, the network including transport layer security, and the security policy identifying at least one valid security standards for communication over the network, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

intercepting a handshake message transmitted over the network between the first and second network endpoints;

extracting from the handshake message an identification of a security standard selected for the communication between the first and second network endpoints;

determining a validity status of the identified security standard based on the security policy; and

preventing communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a negatively determined validity status of the identified security standard.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

permitting communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a positively determined validity status of the identified security standard.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

preventing communication between the first and second network endpoints based on a determination of an authorization component using an identification of each of the first and second network endpoints.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the security standard is a cipher suite.