Protecting a data processing system from attack by a vandal who uses a vulnerability scanner

• US 7,278,161 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lingafelt, Charles Steven, Yell, Nigel Birkbeck
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nalven, Andrew L
• Application Number:
  US09/968,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,192 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/189, 726/23
• US Class Current: 726/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis

Abstract

Method and apparatus for protecting a data processing system such as an Internet server from attack by a vandal who uses an offensive vulnerability scanner to find an externally visible vulnerability of the data processing system. The method includes determining an externally visible vulnerability using a defensive vulnerability scanner, configuring an intrusion detection system to detect a network flow associated with the vulnerability, and blocking that flow by a firewall or a router. The apparatus includes a defensive vulnerability scanner that finds an externally visible vulnerability and provides a description of the vulnerability, an intrusion detection system that detects a network flow that satisfies the description, and a firewall or a router that blocks the flow responsive to detection of the flow by the intrusion detection system.

Claims

1. A method for protecting a data processing system against attack by a vandal, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, by a vulnerability scanner, a first externally visible vulnerability of the data processing system, said first externally visible vulnerability being on a list, said list appearing in a database accessed by the vulnerability scanner;

providing, by the vulnerability scanner to an observation engine, a description of a first instance of a network flow to the data processing system such that the first instance of the network flow is associated with the first externally visible vulnerability;

detecting, by the observation engine, the first instance of the network flow satisfying said description;

instructing, by the observation engine, a blocker to block the detected first instance of the network flow, said instructing being in response to said detecting;

blocking, by the blocker, the first instance of the network flow, said blocking being in response to said instructing; and

lifting, by the observation engine, a blocking of a earlier-blocked instance of the network flow, wherein the earlier-blocked instance of the network flow had been blocked due to having satisfied a description of the earlier-blocked instance provided by the vulnerability scanner responsive to the vulnerability scanner having detennined a second externally visible vulnerability of the data processing system such that the earlier-blocked instance of the network flow is associated with the second externally visible vulnerability, and wherein the second externally visible vulnerability is on the list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said lifting the blocking is in response to an elapse of a specified interval of time following a last known arrival of the earlier-blocked instance at the data processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said lifting the blocking is in response to an installation of a software patch or upgrade in the data processing system in relation to the earlier externally visible vulnerability.