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

• US 9,635,059 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• 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, Jr., Samuel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABYANEH, ALI S
• Application Number:
  US15/166,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20160277450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• 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:

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

transmitting, by the mobile communication device, the location data associated with the mobile communication device to a trust mediator over the communication network;

receiving, by the mobile communication device from the trust mediator communicatively coupled to the mobile communication device by way of the communication network, a determined 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, by a trust mediator agent associated with the mobile communication device, the security-related data for the risk variable periodically at the determined time interval;

transmitting, by the mobile communication device to the trust mediator over the communication network, the collected security-related data;

receiving, by the mobile communication device, instructions corresponding to a security safeguard modification from the trust mediator over the communication network, the security safeguard modification being based on at least one of the collected security-related data and a predetermined rule; and

modifying, by the trust mediator agent, the security safeguard by executing the instructions received from the trust mediator.

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

receiving, by the mobile communication device, a request from the trust mediator for the location data associated with the mobile communication device, the location data being transmitted in response to the request.

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

updating location data associated with the mobile communication device;

generating, by the sensor associated with the mobile communication device, a second risk variable based on the updated location data;

collecting, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmitting, by the mobile communication device, the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

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

generating, by the sensor associated with the mobile communication device, a second risk variable based on the collected security-related data;

collecting, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmitting, by the mobile communication device, the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

5. 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.

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

generating, by the sensor associated with the mobile communication device, a second risk variable based on a security goal;

collecting, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmitting, by the mobile communication device, the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions corresponding to a security safeguard modification include at least one of increasing a key length, changing an encryption algorithm, changing an authentication method.

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

a sensor;

a trust mediator agent;

a processor; and

a memory device accessible by the processor and storing;

computer code executable by the processor, and

data used by the computer code,

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

wherein the computer code includes code for;

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

transmitting, by the mobile communication device, the location data associated with the mobile communication device to a trust mediator over the communication network;

receiving, from the trust mediator, a determined 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, by the trust mediator agent, the security-related data for the risk variable periodically at the determined time interval;

transmitting to the trust mediator the collected security-related data;

receiving instructions corresponding to a security safeguard modification from the trust mediator, the security safeguard modification being based on at least one of the collected security-related data and a predetermined rule; and

modifying, by the trust mediator agent, the security safeguard by executing the instructions received from the trust mediator.

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

receiving a request for the location data associated with the mobile communication device from the trust mediator, the location data being transmitted in response to the request.

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

updating location data associated with the mobile communication device;

generating, by the sensor, a second risk variable based on the updated location data;

collecting, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmitting the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

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

generating, by the sensor, a second risk variable based on the collected security-related data;

collecting, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmitting the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

12. 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.

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

generating, by the sensor, a second risk variable based on a security goal; and

collecting, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmitting the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions corresponding to a security safeguard modification include at least one of increasing a key length, changing an encryption algorithm, changing an authentication method.

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:

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

transmit, by the mobile communication device, the location data associated with the mobile communication device to a trust mediator over a communication network;

receive, by the mobile communication device from the trust mediator, a determined 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, by a trust mediator agent associated with the mobile communication device, the security-related data for the risk variable periodically at the determined time interval;

transmit, by the mobile communication device to the trust mediator over the communication network, the collected security related data;

receive, by the mobile communication device, instructions corresponding to a security safeguard modification to the trust mediator agent via the communication network, the security safeguard modification being based on at least one of the collected security-related data and a predetermined rule; and

modifying, by the trust mediator agent, the security safeguard by executing the instructions received from the trust mediator.

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, by the mobile communication device, a request from the trust mediator for the location data associated with the mobile communication device, the location data being transmitted in response to the request.

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:

updating the location data associated with the mobile communication device;

generate, by the sensor associated with the mobile communication device, a second risk variable based on the updated location data;

collect, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmit, by the mobile communication device, the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

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:

generate, by the sensor associated with the mobile communication device, a second risk variable based on the collected security-related data;

collect, by the trust mediator agent, second security-related data for the second risk variable; and

transmit, by the mobile communication device, the collected second security-related data for the second risk variable to the trust mediator over the communication network.

19. 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.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions corresponding to a security safeguard modification include at least one of increasing a key length, changing an encryption algorithm, changing an authentication method.