Abstract: A network management entity is configured to communicate with one or more network security devices. Each network security device is configured to store in a respective event queue an event for each attempt to access a network accessible destination through the security device. Each event indicates the destination of the attempted access. The management entity periodically collects from the event queues the stored events so that less that all of the events stored in the event queues over a given time period are collected. The management entity determines, based on the collected events, top destinations as the destinations that occur most frequently in the collected events. The management entity determines, based on the collected events, bottom destinations as the destinations that occur least frequently in the collected events. The management entity generates for display indications of the top destinations and generates for display indications of the bottom destinations.

Abstract: In a computer implemented method, selectable device icons that represent respective network security devices are generated for display. Responsive to a selection of one of the device icons, selectable interface icons that represent respective network interfaces used by the network security device represented by the selected device icon are generated for display. Responsive to a selection of one of the interface icons, selectable policy icons that represent respective security polices applied to the network interface represented by the selected interface icon are generated for display. Responsive to a selection of one of the policy icons, selectable object group icons that represent respective groups of security rule objects used in the network security policy represented by the selected policy icon are generated for display.

Abstract: An integrated development environment (IDE) preprocesses a configuration file including security rules. The preprocessing maps object names in the security rules to associated object values based on object definitions for the object names. Responsive to the configuration file being opened in an editor, the IDE provides the editor with access to preprocessing results. Each security rule in the opened configuration file is searched for object names. The IDE links each object name found in the search to an associated object value mapped thereto by the mapping performed during the preprocessing. The IDE receives a selection of an object name in a security rule of the opened configuration file and generates for display the associated object value linked to the selected object name.

Abstract: A network management entity is configured to communicate with one or more network security devices. Each network security device is configured to store in a respective event queue an event for each attempt to access a network accessible destination through the security device. Each event indicates the destination of the attempted access. The management entity periodically collects from the event queues the stored events so that less that all of the events stored in the event queues over a given time period are collected. The management entity determines, based on the collected events, top destinations as the destinations that occur most frequently in the collected events. The management entity determines, based on the collected events, bottom destinations as the destinations that occur least frequently in the collected events. The management entity generates for display indications of the top destinations and generates for display indications of the bottom destinations.

Abstract: A method is performed at a management device to manage multiple network security devices over a network. The security devices are configured to control access to network accessible resources. A query is received. In response to the received query, a respective native security rule that references the specific resource is collected from each security device, where each native security rule is based on a respective native rule model associated with the security device from which the native security rule is collected. Each native security rule is translated into a respective normalized rule that is based on a generic rule model. The respective normalized rules are compared to each other to generate compare results. Based on the compare results, an indication of whether each security device allows or blocks access to the specific resource is generated.

Abstract: In a computer implemented method, selectable device icons that represent respective network security devices are generated for display. Responsive to a selection of one of the device icons, selectable interface icons that represent respective network interfaces used by the network security device represented by the selected device icon are generated for display. Responsive to a selection of one of the interface icons, selectable policy icons that represent respective security polices applied to the network interface represented by the selected interface icon are generated for display. Responsive to a selection of one of the policy icons, selectable object group icons that represent respective groups of security rule objects used in the network security policy represented by the selected policy icon are generated for display.

Abstract: A method is performed at a management device to manage multiple network security devices over a network. The security devices are configured to control access to network accessible resources. A query is received. In response to the received query, a respective native security rule that references the specific resource is collected from each security device, where each native security rule is based on a respective native rule model associated with the security device from which the native security rule is collected. Each native security rule is translated into a respective normalized rule that is based on a generic rule model. The respective normalized rules are compared to each other to generate compare results. Based on the compare results, an indication of whether each security device allows or blocks access to the specific resource is generated.

Abstract: An integrated development environment (IDE) preprocesses a configuration file including security rules. The preprocessing maps object names in the security rules to associated object values based on object definitions for the object names. Responsive to the configuration file being opened in an editor, the IDE provides the editor with access to preprocessing results. Each security rule in the opened configuration file is searched for object names. The IDE links each object name found in the search to an associated object value mapped thereto by the mapping performed during the preprocessing. The IDE receives a selection of an object name in a security rule of the opened configuration file and generates for display the associated object value linked to the selected object name.