Systems and methods for sensitive data remediation

• US 8,549,649 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Golomb, Gary J., Douglas, Kevin T., Girardi, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desrosiers, Evans
• Application Number:
  US12/761,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 713153-154, 713187-188, 713193-194, 726/1, 726/13, 726 22- 33, 709/206, 709/249, 709/389
• US Class Current: 726/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis

Abstract

Systems and methods for sensitive data remediation include calculating a Probability of Loss of data on a given computer based on measures of control, integrity, and potential avenues of exploitation of the given computer, determining an Impact of Loss of the data on the given computer based on a type, volume, and nature of the data, and correlating the Probability of Loss with the Impact of Loss to generate a risk score for the given computer that can be compared to other computers in the network. The computers with higher risk scores can then be subjected to data remediation activity.

Claims

1. A computer network auditing method, comprising:

deploying agents on respective computers among a plurality of computers throughout a network;

using the agents to collect information about the volume and sensitivity of data stored on the respective computers and the programs running on the respective computers;

receiving the information from the agents at a central location;

for each computer for which the information has been received, calculating a risk score, where the risk score is based on the volume and sensitivity of data stored on said each computer and a security of said each computer;

comparing, at the central location, calculated risk scores of multiple computers and ranking the multiple computers in a risk score order; and

for a given one of the multiple computers in the risk score order, performing a remediation technique that has the effect of reducing the risk score for the given computer,

wherein calculating the risk score comprises separately taking account of (i) for a given one of the computers, data considered to be of a first sensitivity value stored on the given one of the computers, (ii) data considered to be of a second sensitivity value, different form the first sensitivity value, stored on the given one of the computers, (iii) an exposure level of the data stored on the given one of the computers, and (iv) an integrity assessment of the given one of the computers, and

wherein the risk score is based on a probability of loss that is itself based on the exposure level of the data stored on the given one of the computers and the integrity assessment of the given one of the computers, and an impact of loss metric that is itself based on the first and second sensitivity values.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising pushing the agents from a server to the respective computers.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the information from the agents via a secure encrypted tunnel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying weights to variables associated with the type of data stored on respective computers and associated with metrics of security for the respective computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the variables or metrics include at least one of number of pieces of malware, number of rootkits, number of hidden files, days since last audit, running programs, network connections, potential network connections, confirmed signature-based vulnerabilities, confirmed mis-configurations, or network location/role of the computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remediation technique comprises at least one of deleting, encrypting, or moving data on or from the given one of the multiple computers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remediation technique comprises changing a configuration, uninstalling an application, installing an application, executing an application, or disabling a running service on the given one of the multiple computers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a user of the given one of the multiple computers that data has been removed from the computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein data considered to be of the fist sensitivity value comprises at least one of social security numbers and credit cards numbers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein data considered to be of the second sensitivity value comprises telephone numbers.

11. A method of monitoring a network of computers, comprising;

receiving, from respective computers in the network, an indication of the volume and sensitivity of information stored thereon;

receiving, from the respective computers in the network, an indication of a level of security thereof;

receiving, from the respective computers in the network, an indication of configuration of the respective computer;

calculating a risk score for each respective computer based on the volume and sensitivity of information, security and configuration of each respective computer; and

ranking the computers based on their respective risk scores,

wherein calculating the risk score comprises separately taking account of (i) for a given one of the computers, data considered to be of a first sensitivity value stored on the given one of the computers, (ii) data considered to be of a second sensitivity value, different from the first sensitivity value, stored one the given one of the computers, (iii) an exposure level of the data stored on the given one of the computers, and (iv) an integrity assessment of the given one of the computers, and

wherein the risk score is based on a probability of loss that is itself based on the exposure level of the data stored on the given one of the computers and the integrity assessment of the given one of the computers, and an impact of loss metric that is itself based on the first and second sensitivity values.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing a remediation technique on a highest ranking computer of the computers subjected to ranking.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the remediation technique comprises at least one of deleting, encrypting, or moving data on the highest ranking computer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the remediation technique comprises changing a configuration, uninstalling an application, installing an application, executing an application, or disabling a running service on the highest ranking computer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising notifying a user of the highest ranking computer that data has been removed from the computer.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein data considered to be of the first sensitivity value comprises at least one of social security numbers and credit cards numbers.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein data considered to be of the second sensitivity value comprises telephone numbers.