Abstract: This disclosure provides a network security architecture that permits installation of different software security products as virtual machines (VMs). By relying on a standardized data format and communication structure, a general architecture can be created and used to dynamically build and reconfigure interaction between both similar and dissimilar security products. Use of an integration scheme having defined message types and specified query response framework provides for real-time response and easy adaptation for cross-vendor communication. Examples are provided where an intrusion detection system (IDS) can be used to detect network threats based on distributed threat analytics, passing detected threats to other security products (e.g., products with different capabilities from different vendors) to trigger automatic, dynamically configured communication and reaction.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an architecture for sharing information between network security administrators. Events converted to a normalized data format (CCF) are stored in a manner that can be queried by a third party (e.g., an administrator of another, trusted network). Optionally made available as a service, stored event records can be sanitized for third party queries (e.g., by clients of a service maintaining such a repository). In one embodiment, each contributing network encrypts or signs its (sanitized) records using a symmetric key architecture, the key being unique to the contributing network. This key is used (e.g., by the repository) to index a set of permissions or conditions of the contributing network in servicing any query, e.g., by matching a stored hash of the event record or by decrypting the record. The information sharing service can optionally be provided by a hosted information security service or on a peer-to-peer basis.

Abstract: A network security system that correlates security-related events to individual users, as identified by a user identifier and an identity provider. The user identifier may be associated in one or more implicit or explicit social networks.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an architecture for sharing information between network security administrators. Events converted to a normalized data format (CCF) are stored in a manner that can be queried by a third party (e.g., an administrator of another, trusted network). Optionally made available as a service, stored event records can be sanitized for third party queries (e.g., by clients of a service maintaining such a repository). In one embodiment, each contributing network encrypts or signs its (sanitized) records using a symmetric key architecture, the key being unique to the contributing network. This key is used (e.g., by the repository) to index a set of permissions or conditions of the contributing network in servicing any query, e.g., by matching a stored hash of the event record or by decrypting the record. The information sharing service can optionally be provided by a hosted information security service or on a peer-to-peer basis.

Abstract: This disclosure provides techniques for pooling and searching network security events reported by multiple sources. As information representing a security event is received from one source, it is searched against a central or distributed database representing events reported from multiple, diverse sources (e.g., different client networks). Either the search or correlated results can be filtered and/or routed according at least one characteristic associated with the networks, for example, to limit correlation to events reported by what are presumed to be similarly situated networks. The disclosed techniques facilitate faster identification of high-relevancy security event information, and thereby help facilitate faster threat identification and mitigation. Various techniques can be implemented as standalone software (e.g., for use by a private network) or for a central pooling and/or query service. This disclosure also provides different examples of actions that can be taken in response to search results.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a network security architecture that permits installation of different software security products as virtual machines (VMs). By relying on a standardized data format and communication structure, a general architecture can be created and used to dynamically build and reconfigure interaction between both similar and dissimilar security products. Use of an integration scheme having defined message types and specified query response framework provides for real-time response and easy adaptation for cross-vendor communication. Examples are provided where an intrusion detection system (IDS) can be used to detect network threats based on distributed threat analytics, passing detected threats to other security products (e.g., products with different capabilities from different vendors) to trigger automatic, dynamically configured communication and reaction.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a network security architecture that permits installation of different software security products as virtual machines (VMs). By relying on a standardized data format and communication structure, a general architecture can be created and used to dynamically build and reconfigure interaction between both similar and dissimilar security products. Use of an integration scheme having defined message types and specified query response framework provides for real-time response and easy adaptation for cross-vendor communication. Examples are provided where an intrusion detection system (IDS) can be used to detect network threats based on distributed threat analytics, passing detected threats to other security products (e.g., products with different capabilities from different vendors) to trigger automatic, dynamically configured communication and reaction.

Abstract: A network security system that correlates security-related events to individual users, as identified by a user identifier and an identity provider. The user identifier may be associated in one or more implicit or explicit social networks.

Abstract: A network security system that correlates security-related events to individual users, as identified by a user identifier and an identity provider. The user identifier may be associated in one or more implicit or explicit social networks.