Security scanning system and method

• US 9,197,659 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howcroft, Jerald Robert, Markley, John J., Del Carmine, Rocco A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Revak, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIANG, JASON
• Application Number:
  US14/066,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20140109229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 726/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a computer-readable medium, method and system for determining security vulnerabilities for a plurality of application programs used to provide television services to a customer device over a communications network. The method includes running a first scanning program against a first application program relating to a control panel for the customer device; running a second scanning program against a second application program that provides Internet content to the customer device; running a third scanning program against a third application program that relates to a component management system of customer premises equipment; and correlating security vulnerabilities identified utilizing the first, second, and third scanning programs.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including processor executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

initiating, by a backbone server, execution of a first scanning program to perform a web level scan of a set-top-box control panel application program;

initiating execution of a second scanning program to perform an operating system level scan of the set-top-box control panel application program;

initiating, by the backbone server, a third scanning program to remotely scan a third application program that relates to a component management system of a digital subscriber line modem;

invoking, by the backbone server, a program to compare security vulnerabilities identified by the first scanning program with security vulnerabilities identified by the second scanning program;

running the first and second scanning programs against a second application program that provides Internet content to a set-top-box device;

running the first and second scanning program against a third application program configured to provide the component management system; and

combining security vulnerabilities identified utilizing the first, second, and third scanning programs;

wherein the first scanning program accesses the set-top-box via a broadband connection to a residential gateway locally coupled to the set-top-box.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein initiating execution of the first scanning program comprises initiating, by a back bone server, execution of the first scanning program on a first server.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the broadband connection includes a digital subscriber line connection.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first scanning program accesses the set-top-box using a pass through connection to the residential gateway.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations include:

enabling the backbone server to obtain access to at least one of the first server and the web server.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations include:

assigning risk levels to the security vulnerabilities; and

providing a report indicative of the risk levels.

7. A method of determining security vulnerabilities associated with providing television services to a set-top-box over a communications network, comprising:

initiating, by a backbone server, execution of a first scanning program to perform a web level scan of a set-top-box control panel application program;

initiating execution of a second scanning program to perform an operating system level scan of the set-top-box control panel application program;

initiating, by the backbone server, a third scanning program to remotely scan a third application program that relates to a component management system of a digital subscriber line modem;

invoking, by the backbone server, a program to compare security vulnerabilities identified by the first scanning program with security vulnerabilities identified by the second scanning program;

running the first and second scanning programs against a second application program that provides Internet content to the set-top-box device;

running the first and second scanning program against a third application program configured to provide the component management system; and

combining security vulnerabilities identified utilizing the first, second, and third scanning programs;

wherein the first scanning program accesses the set-top-box via a broadband connection on a residential gateway locally coupled to the set-top-box.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

assigning risk levels to the security vulnerabilities and providing a report identifying the assigned risks.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

invoking, by the backbone server, a fourth scanning program to remotely scan a fourth application program adapted for use in the set-top-box in an environment that simulates a digital subscriber line network.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the server of the provider of the first application program has an associated firewall and wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining access to the server of the provider of the first application program utilizing a selected identifier.

11. A server, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage medium including a database to store information relating to security vulnerabilities for a plurality of application programs associated with a customer device and processor executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

initiating, by a backbone server, execution of a first scanning program to perform a web level scan of a set-top-box control panel application program;

initiating execution of a second scanning program to perform an operating system level scan of the set-top-box control panel application program;

invoking, by the backbone server, a program to compare security vulnerabilities identified by the first scanning program with security vulnerabilities identified by the second scanning program;

invoking, by the backbone server, a third scanning program relating to a component management system for customer premises equipment for use in providing the television services to remotely scan a third application program to identify security vulnerabilities with the third application program;

running the first and second scanning programs against a second application program that provides Internet content to the customer device;

running the first and second scanning program against a third application program configured to provide the component management system; and

combining security vulnerabilities identified utilizing the first, second, and third scanning programs;

wherein the first scanning program accesses the set-top-box via a broadband connection on a residential gateway locally coupled to the set-top-box.

12. The server of claim 11, wherein the first application program is for use in providing television services via the communication network.

13. The server of claim 11, wherein the operations include:

assigning a risk level to each of the security vulnerabilities.

14. The server of claim 13, wherein the operations include:

providing a report that indicates the risk level.

15. The server of claim 11, wherein the operations include:

obtaining access to the first server of the provider of the first application program.

16. The server of claim 11, wherein the program to compare the security vulnerabilities is configured to compare security vulnerabilities associated with any of the first application program, the second application program, and the third application program.