Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance packet processing. In one implementation, a host computing element identifies a packet from a process executing on the host computing element. In response to identifying the packet, the host computing element determines whether the packet originates from a container namespace corresponding to a container on the host computing element or a host namespace corresponding to the host computing element. If the packet originates from a container namespace, the host computing element may determine supplemental information for the container associated with the container namespace, and process the packet based on the supplemental information.

Abstract: A management service can be used to manage enterprise applications. Management agents can be installed in each enterprise application, e.g., in each virtual machine of each enterprise application. The management agent can check each process created by its host virtual machine against a local whitelist. If the local whitelist indicates the process is safe, the process can be executed. Otherwise, an alert including a process description is sent to the management service. An alert analyzer of t he management service can check information of the management service itself as well as third-party information to determine whether or not the process is safe. In the event the alert analyzer determines a process that was the subject of an alert is, in fact, safe, an indication that the process is safe is added to the local whitelist.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance packet processing. In one implementation, a host computing element identifies a packet from a process executing on the host computing element. In response to identifying the packet, the host computing element determines whether the packet originates from a container namespace corresponding to a container on the host computing element or a host namespace corresponding to the host computing element. If the packet originates from a container namespace, the host computing element may determine supplemental information for the container associated with the container namespace, and process the packet based on the supplemental information.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance packet . In one implementation, a host computing element identifies a packet from a process executing on the host computing element. In response to identifying the packet, the host computing element determines whether the packet originates from a container namespace corresponding to a container on the host computing element or a host namespace corresponding to the host computing element. If the packet originates from a container namespace, the host computing element may determine supplemental information for the container associated with the container namespace, and process the packet based on the supplemental information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to validate and restore machine configurations are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a context identifier to obtain first context information for a first set of configuration update events occurring on a computing device, a guest agent interface to transmit the first set of configuration update events to a security manager for generation of a policy, the policy including allowable configuration update events and responses to unallowable configuration update events, an event comparator to compare second context information of a subsequent configuration update event obtained by the context identifier to the policy received from the security manager, and an event handler to determine, when the subsequent configuration update event is not included in the policy, that the subsequent configuration update event is to be transmitted to the security manager for generation of an updated policy.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for detecting that a domain name service (DNS) cache on a data compute node (DCN) has been attacked. The method, during a first operational phase of an agent executing on the DCN, builds a DNS cache that stores entries that include (i) network address to domain name mappings and (ii) policies for the entries received from a centralized service. During a second operational phase of the agent, the method detects that an entry of the DNS cache has been modified by a DNS response such that the modified entry violates the policy for the entry. Based on the detection, the method sends an alert to the centralized service. The centralized service performs additional analysis on the modification to determine whether to allow the DCN to use the modified DNS cache entry.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to validate and restore machine configurations are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a context identifier to obtain first context information for a first set of configuration update events occurring on a computing device, a guest agent interface to transmit the first set of configuration update events to a security manager for generation of a policy, the policy including allowable configuration update events and responses to unallowable configuration update events, an event comparator to compare second context information of a subsequent configuration update event obtained by the context identifier to the policy received from the security manager, and an event handler to determine, when the subsequent configuration update event is not included in the policy, that the subsequent configuration update event is to be transmitted to the security manager for generation of an updated policy.

Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are generally directed to systems and methods for preventing access to files on a virtual machine. One example method involves receiving network information associated with a network connection opened at the virtual machine and determining a process that opened the network connection. The method further involves receiving information indicative of a file access event attempted at the virtual machine and determining the process that opened the network connection initiated the file access event. The method further involves transmitting information indicative of the file access event and the network connection to a security virtual machine and receiving an enforcement decision for the file access event from the security virtual machine based on the information indicative of the file access event and the network connection. The method further involves applying the enforcement decision to either allow or prevent the file access event by the process.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for detecting that a domain name service (DNS) cache on a data compute node (DCN) has been attacked. The method, during a first operational phase of an agent executing on the DCN, builds a DNS cache that stores entries that include (i) network address to domain name mappings and (ii) policies for the entries received from a centralized service. During a second operational phase of the agent, the method detects that an entry of the DNS cache has been modified by a DNS response such that the modified entry violates the policy for the entry. Based on the detection, the method sends an alert to the centralized service. The centralized service performs additional analysis on the modification to determine whether to allow the DCN to use the modified DNS cache entry.

Abstract: Techniques for detecting application updates in data centers are disclosed. In one example, process information and corresponding metadata associated with a first process event of an application running on a first application host may be received. Upon receiving, the metadata associated with the first process event may be compared with statistical metadata associated with a previous version of the application using the process information. Further, the first process event may be detected as associated with a valid upgrade of the application based on the comparison and an application in-guest unit running on the first application host may be notified that the first process event is associated with the valid upgrade based on the detection.

Abstract: A method of providing security for containers executing on a physical host machine is provided. The method receives a notification of a file access request. The notification includes a path in a file system of the host machine being accessed by a process. From the path, the method determines whether the file access event is for accessing a location in the file system to which container file systems are mapped. The method identifies a namespace of the process using the identification of the process included in the file path. The method determines the process is a container when the namespace belongs to a service that is used to implement containers on the host machine. The method sends the identifier of the container, the identification of a VM executing the container, and the file path to a set of security applications to determine whether the file access request to be allowed.

Abstract: A management service can be used to manage enterprise applications. Management agents can be installed in each enterprise application, e.g., in each virtual machine of each enterprise application. The management agent can check each process created by its host virtual machine against a local whitelist. If the local whitelist indicates the process is safe, the process can be executed. Otherwise, an alert including a process description is sent to the management service. An alert analyzer of t he management service can check information of the management service itself as well as third-party information to determine whether or not the process is safe. In the event the alert analyzer determines a process that was the subject of an alert is, in fact, safe, an indication that the process is safe is added to the local whitelist.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance packet . In one implementation, a host computing element identifies a packet from a process executing on the host computing element. In response to identifying the packet, the host computing element determines whether the packet originates from a container namespace corresponding to a container on the host computing element or a host namespace corresponding to the host computing element. If the packet originates from a container namespace, the host computing element may determine supplemental information for the container associated with the container namespace, and process the packet based on the supplemental information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to validate and restore machine configurations are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a context identifier to obtain first context information for a first set of configuration update events occurring on a computing device, a guest agent interface to transmit the first set of configuration update events to a security manager for generation of a policy, the policy including allowable configuration update events and responses to unallowable configuration update events, an event comparator to compare second context information of a subsequent configuration update event obtained by the context identifier to the policy received from the security manager, and an event handler to determine, when the subsequent configuration update event is not included in the policy, that the subsequent configuration update event is to be transmitted to the security manager for generation of an updated policy.

Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are generally directed to systems and methods for preventing access to files on a virtual machine. One example method involves receiving network information associated with a network connection opened at the virtual machine and determining a process that opened the network connection. The method further involves receiving information indicative of a file access event attempted at the virtual machine and determining the process that opened the network connection initiated the file access event . The method further involves transmitting information indicative of the file access event and the network connection to a security virtual machine and receiving an enforcement decision for the file access event from the security virtual machine based on the information indicative of the file access event and the network connection. The method further involves applying the enforcement decision to either allow or prevent the file access event by the process.

Abstract: A method of providing security for containers executing on a physical host machine is provided. The method receives a notification of a file access request. The notification includes a path in a file system of the host machine being accessed by a process. From the path, the method determines whether the file access event is for accessing a location in the file system to which container file systems are mapped. The method identifies a namespace of the process using the identification of the process included in the file path. The method determines the process is a container when the namespace belongs to a service that is used to implement containers on the host machine. The method sends the identifier of the container, the identification of a VM executing the container, and the file path to a set of security applications to determine whether the file access request to be allowed.