Systems, methods, and computer program products for adapting the security measures of a communication network based on feedback

• US 9,378,375 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Bailey, Samuel A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABYANEH, ALI S
• Application Number:
  US14/252,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726/22, 726/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• 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: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud

Abstract

An adaptable network security system includes trust mediator agents that are coupled to each network component. Trust mediator agents continuously detect changes in the security characteristics of the network and communicate the detected security characteristics to a trust mediator. Based on the security characteristics received from the trust mediator agents, the trust mediator adjusts security safeguards to maintain an acceptable level of security. Trust mediator also uses predetermined rules in determining whether to adjust security safeguards. Despite inevitable changes in security characteristics, an acceptable level of security and efficient network operation are achieved without subjecting users of the network to over burdensome security safeguards.

Claims

1. A method for adapting a security system based on security-related data associated with a communication network, the method comprising steps of:

selecting, by a trust mediator, a risk variable generated by a sensor associated with a mobile communication device, based on location data associated with the mobile communication device,

wherein the trust mediator is communicatively coupled to the mobile communication device by way of a communication network;

determining, by the trust mediator, a time interval at which to collect security-related data for the risk variable generated by the sensor, based on the location data associated with the mobile communication device;

collecting the security-related data for the risk variable periodically at the determined time interval by way of a trust mediator agent communicatively coupled to the communication network,

determining a security safeguard modification based on at least one of the collected security-related data and a predetermined rule stored in a memory; and

transmitting instructions corresponding to the security safeguard modification to the trust mediator agent via the communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location data associated with the mobile communication device is received from the mobile communication device by way of the communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

polling, by the trust mediator, the trust mediator agent for the location data associated with the mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

receiving, by the trust mediator from the trust mediator agent via the communication network, updated location data associated with the mobile communication device; and

selecting a different risk variable based on the received updated location data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

selecting a second risk variable based on the collected security-related data; and

collecting second security-related data for the selected second risk variable by way of the trust mediator agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the security-related data includes at least one of threat data corresponding to at least one of the plurality of communication network modules, user expectation data, a list of currently running security safeguards, and a protection time provided by the currently running security safeguards.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

selecting a second risk variable based on a security goal; and

collecting second security-related data for the selected second risk variable by way of the trust mediator agent.

8. A system for adapting a security system based on security-related data associated with a communication network, wherein the system comprises a trust mediator that includes:

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor and storing;

computer code executable by the processor, and

data used by the computer code,

wherein the trust mediator is communicatively coupled to a mobile communication device by way of a communication network, and

wherein the computer code includes code for;

selecting a risk variable generated by a sensor associated with a mobile communication device, based on location data associated with the mobile communication device,

determining a time interval at which to collect security-related data for the risk variable generated by the sensor, based on the location data associated with the mobile communication device,

collecting the security-related data for the risk variable periodically at the determined time interval by way of a trust mediator agent communicatively coupled to the communication network,

determining a security safeguard modification based on at least one of the collected security-related data and a predetermined rule stored in a memory, and

transmitting instructions corresponding to the security safeguard modification to the trust mediator agent via the communication network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the location data associated with the mobile communication device is received from the mobile communication device by way of the communication network.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer code further includes code for:

polling the trust mediator agent for the location data associated with the mobile communication device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer code further includes code for:

receiving, by the trust mediator from the trust mediator agent via the communication network, updated location data associated with the mobile communication device; and

selecting a different risk variable based on the received updated location data.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer code further includes code for:

selecting a second risk variable based on the collected security-related data; and

collecting second security-related data for the selected second risk variable by way of the trust mediator agent.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the security-related data includes at least one of threat data corresponding to at least one of the plurality of communication network modules, user expectation data, a list of currently running security safeguards, and a protection time provided by the currently running security safeguards.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer code further includes code for:

selecting a second risk variable based on a security goal; and

collecting second security-related data for the selected second risk variable by way of the trust mediator agent.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

select, by a trust mediator, a risk variable generated by a sensor associated with a mobile communication device, based on location data associated with the mobile communication device,

wherein the trust mediator is communicatively coupled to the mobile communication device by way of a communication network;

determine, by the trust mediator, a time interval at which to collect security-related data for the risk variable generated by the sensor, based on the location data associated with the mobile communication device;

collect the security-related data for the risk variable periodically at the determined time interval by way of a trust mediator agent communicatively coupled to the communication network,

determine a security safeguard modification based on at least one of the collected security-related data and a predetermined rule stored in a memory; and

transmit instructions corresponding to the security safeguard modification to the trust mediator agent via the communication network.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the sequences of instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

receive the location data associated with the mobile communication device from the mobile communication device by way of the communication network.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the sequences of instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

poll, by the trust mediator, the trust mediator agent for the location data associated with the mobile communication device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the sequences of instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

receive, by the trust mediator from the trust mediator agent via the communication network, updated location data associated with the mobile communication device; and

select a different risk variable based on the received updated location data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the sequences of instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

select a second risk variable based on the collected security-related data; and

collect second security-related data for the selected second risk variable by way of the trust mediator agent.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the security-related data includes at least one of threat data corresponding to at least one of the plurality of communication network modules, user expectation data, a list of currently running security safeguards, and a protection time provided by the currently running security safeguards.