Patent Grant
12107869
This disclosure pertains generally to computer security, and more specifically to automatically providing a quantified assessment, recommendations and mitigation actions for enterprise level security operations.
Enterprise level computer systems and services are constantly subject to malicious attempts to gain unauthorized access, attack, and otherwise compromise the systems and data. Adversaries use an ever changing variety of threats for this purpose, which can be characterized by their tactics, techniques and procedures. Enterprises deploy security systems comprising a variety of hardware and software. Different components of an enterprise level security system provide a variety of data feeds, technology, controls and resources aligned to defend the assets of the enterprise and its customers.
Many enterprises manage the operations of their security systems, sometimes in a centralized manner. A system within an enterprise that provides functionality for monitoring, aggregating, analyzing and responding to indications of threats across a set of security products used by the enterprise is often referred to as a SOC (“Security Operations Center”). A SOC typically works across a plurality security products deployed at different levels within the enterprise, such as network, backend of, endpoints, email server, etc. The SOC is responsible for aggregating, analyzing and responding to alerts concerning suspicious events or suspected malicious activities generated by the security products deployed by the enterprise, or from the machine data being logged and/or deployed by the enterprise. The functionality of a SOC may be provided by a combination of technology and human analysts.
It is to be understood that although such centralized enterprise level security functionality is referred to herein as a “SOC” for readability, such a centralized system may have other names in practice, and it is the functionality that is being referenced herein, not any specific naming convention.
A component often referred to as a SIEM (Security and Incident Event Management) is frequently deployed in the SOC, and may be utilized as a tool to implement portions of the above described functionality. A SIEM may provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by applications, network, hardware and/or machine data, and may be configured with detection rules, such as code, logic, algorithms and/or models to process alerts and detect threats. A SIEM is typically fed data from an abundance of data domains and sources in the form of alerts and/or logs.
Security alerts are generated by various security products such as (for example) firewalls and anti-malicious code software, or from custom developed logic/analytical methods created by SOC analysts. Security alerts indicate suspected detection of suspicious/malicious events. There are many sources and types of raw logs that are fed to the SIEM, such as endpoints, servers, cloud workloads (e.g., AWS CloudTrail), web access logs, network flow logs, etc. Enterprise level detection rules are deployed at the SIEM, and correlate across these alerts and logs to detect new malicious/suspicious events. Thus, the processing of data feeds (e.g., alerts and logs) and the deployment of corresponding detection rules may be deployed at the SIEM to mitigate threats against enterprise networks and computer systems.
Enterprises may have more than one SIEM in their SOC, or they may have other or additional alert/logging aggregation, management and/or database tools that monitor, store, and/or process machine data to detect threats. It is to be understood that an enterprise level tool for the processing of security information and events including alerts, logs and corresponding rules need not be called a SIEM. In some scenarios, this functionality may be performed by one or more tools or systems having varying names. The term “SIEM” is used herein for readability, but it is the functionality that is referenced, not a specific name for it.
SOCs model their dynamic threat landscape by continuously researching and identifying factors such as the adversaries targeting their type of enterprise and their deployed operating systems (e.g., Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc.) and data center platforms (e.g., Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, Azure, etc.), as well as the key vulnerabilities within the enterprise, critical systems that are considered more likely to be attacked because of their asset value (e.g., specific workloads, business processes, software, users), etc. These attributes are used to identify a set of threat techniques and threat procedures that are currently most important for the enterprise to defend against to protect itself.
Conventionally, human SOC analysts need to constantly develop new detection capabilities and update existing capabilities to detect, triage, and respond to suspicious and malicious events, and to identify and defend against attack patterns that are relevant to the current threat landscape. Because of this, SOC analysts need information on factors such as how well they are currently logging data sets needed to detect relevant threats, how to effectively process the voluminous logs collected, which new alerts and logs should be collected to enable the most important detection rules to be effectively deployed relative to the current threat landscape, how well existing detections are covering current threat priorities, which existing and new rules to deploy to address the most important priorities based on the current threat landscape, and what are the most effective ways to triage and respond to alerts triggered to mitigate detected threats.
Enterprises often struggle to configure and leverage the multiple components of their security systems efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, SOCs, SEIMs and other security tools do not automatically or readily provide the information that is utilized by SOC analysts as described above. Instead, analysts conventionally use inconsistent and unrepeatable processes to attempt to glean such information, to quantify the effectiveness of their security systems, and to attempt to quantify the overall risk posture of the enterprise. Not only is this extremely labor intensive for the human analysts, but it also subject to providing an inaccurate assessment of the configuration of the security system and its vulnerabilities, resulting, for example, in a false sense of security and/or an exaggerated view of vulnerability.
It would be desirable to address these issues.
The cybersecurity risk posture of an enterprise is assessed, and this posture is quantified with a score. This score quantifies the overall effectiveness of the enterprise level security system (e.g., a SOC in which one or more SIEMs are deployed). The score can be thought of as a measurement of the maturity level of the enterprise level security system (e.g., the SOC). This score is based on the threat landscape affecting the enterprise (e.g., its existing infrastructure, technology, customers, processes, etc.), and the assessment and quantification of multiple specific areas of the enterprise level security system (e.g., current data feeds, deployed threat detection rules, detection rule alert processing capability, and threat mitigation and response capability).
The assessment and quantification of each separate area is itself based on the identification and analysis of a large number of relevant data points. These data points can be mapped to specific threats or threat types to which the enterprise is particularly subject, based on the analysis of the current threat landscape, and on the type and technological configuration of the enterprise itself. Thus, the overall score reflects the capability of the enterprise security system to prioritize, log, detect, react to, process, and properly mitigate relevant cybersecurity threats.
In order to determine a prioritization of threats to which the enterprise is especially vulnerable, the nature of enterprise itself is analyzed. Factors such as the field of operation, customer/user environment, physical location, and technological configuration/environment of the enterprise are identified. The dynamic threat landscape to which the enterprise is subject is tracked, and specific threat groups, adversaries and the like which target an enterprise of this type and/or target the specific platforms deployed by the enterprise are identified. From this, specific threat tactics, techniques, and procedures used by these threat groups are identified. A prioritization of specific threat tactics, techniques, and procedures against which to protect the enterprise is determined (e.g., those from which the enterprise is most subject to attack).
It is also determined which data feeds, threat detection rules, security controls, resources, methods, tools, etc., are most relevant to detect, analyze, respond to and mitigate these prioritized specific threat tactics, techniques, and procedures. Existing detection and response capabilities (e.g., logs, alerts, controls, resources, mitigation tools, etc.) used by the enterprise level security system are identified, and compared against those which have been determined to be most relevant for effectively defending against the prioritized threat tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The features and advantages described in this summary and in the following detailed description are not all-inclusive, and particularly, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims hereof.
The Figures depict various implementations for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that other implementations of the subject matter illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles described herein.
A high level overview of the functionality of the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 is first described, in reference to
The assessment and quantification of each separate area is itself based on the identification and analysis of a large number of relevant data points. These data points can be mapped to specific threats or threat types to which the enterprise is particularly subject, based on the analysis of the current threat landscape, detections observed and threat intelligence, and on the type and technological configuration of the enterprise itself. Thus, the overall score 301 reflects the capability of the enterprise security system 303 to prioritize, log, detect, react to, process, and properly mitigate relevant cybersecurity threats.
In order to determine a prioritization of threats to which the enterprise is especially vulnerable, the nature of enterprise itself is analyzed. Factors such as the field of operation, customer/user environment, physical location, and technological configuration/environment of the enterprise are identified. The dynamic threat landscape to which the enterprise is subject is tracked, and specific threat groups, adversaries, detections from security products and alerts in the SIEM, and threat intelligence and the like which target an enterprise of this type and/or target the specific platforms deployed by the enterprise are identified. From this, specific threat tactics, techniques, and procedures used by these threat groups are identified. A prioritization of specific threat tactics, techniques, and procedures against which to protect the enterprise is determined (e.g., those from which the enterprise is most subject to attack). This is dynamic and may be continuously evaluated.
It is also determined which data feeds 305, threat detection rules 307, security controls, resources, methods, tools, etc., are most relevant to detect, analyze, respond to and mitigate these prioritized specific threat tactics, techniques, and procedures. Existing detection and response capabilities (e.g., logs, alerts, controls, resources, mitigation tools, etc.) used by the enterprise level security system 303 are identified, and compared against those which have been determined to be most relevant for effectively defending against the prioritized threat tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Thus, the assessment and quantification of data feeds 305, threat detection rules 307, detection rule alert processing capability, existing detections and threat response capability takes into account not only the current configuration of the enterprise level security system 303, but also the relevant configuration for effectiveness against the prioritized threat tactics, techniques, and procedures. In order to perform these assessments and quantifications, rich data models may be built, e.g., for feed data and threat detection rules that identify prioritized tactics, techniques, and procedures. Feed data and threat detection rules 307 can be automatically mapped into these data models. This automatic mapping can be performed based on rules, heuristics and/or machine learning.
The calculated score 301 can be used to identify areas of the enterprise level security system 303 that should be improved to better protect the enterprise from the cybersecurity threats to which it is most vulnerable. In addition, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can produce detailed recommendations 309 to improve the operation of the enterprise level security system 303 (and thus increase the score 301). Many relevant data points are analyzed to discover vulnerable areas in an organization's cybersecurity posture, and to provide recommendations for how to improve and decrease risk. Further, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can automatically take steps to mitigate threats, such as automatically executing recommendations. The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can also automatically provide mitigations 317 to the enterprise level security system 303.
The score 301 and recommendations 309 may be output to enterprise level security system analysts and the like, for example through a dashboard or other form of user interface. The analysts can review the score 301 and recommendations 309, and take actions to improve the operation of the enterprise level security system 303. The performance of these actions in turn raises the score 301.
Turning now to
The enterprise level network 107 contains a SOC 111 in which several SIEMs 113 are deployed. Although the SOC 111 is illustrated as residing on server 105B, it is to be understood that the functionality of a SOC 111 may be distributed across multiple computing devices.
In
Servers 105 and endpoints 103 can be implemented using computer systems 210 such as the one illustrated in
Although
Other components (not illustrated) may be connected in a similar manner (e.g., document scanners, digital cameras, printers, etc.). Conversely, all of the components illustrated in
The bus 212 allows data communication between the processor 214 and system memory 217, which, as noted above may include ROM and/or flash memory as well as RAM. The RAM is typically the main memory into which the operating system and application programs are loaded. The ROM and/or flash memory can contain, among other code, the Basic Input-Output system (BIOS) which controls certain basic hardware operations. Application programs can be stored on a local computer readable medium (e.g., hard disk 244, optical disk 242) and loaded into system memory 217 and executed by the processor 214. Application programs can also be loaded into system memory 217 from a remote location (i.e., a remotely located computer system 210), for example via the network interface 248 or modem 247. In
The storage interface 234 is coupled to one or more hard disks 244 (and/or other form of storage media). The storage media may be a part of computer system 210, and/or may be physically separate and accessed through other interface systems.
The network interface 248 and or modem 247 can be directly or indirectly communicatively coupled to a network 107 such as the internet 115. Such coupling can be wired or wireless.
Returning to
In some implementations, identifying prioritized threats can take the form of analyzing MITRE ATT&CK data sources (e.g., ATT&CK for Enterprise). MITRE ATT&CK® is a knowledge base of cyber adversary behavior and taxonomy, including specific tactics, techniques and procedures used for cyberattacks. ATT&CK for Enterprise specifically covers behaviors used against enterprise level networks and cloud based platforms. By analyzing these data sources in light of the gleaned information concerning the type, location, and technological configuration of the specific enterprise 109 being defended, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can determine the prioritized threats, tactics, techniques and procedures to which the enterprise is particularly vulnerable. For example, data feeds can be analyzed using MITRE ATT&CK data sources, and recommendations can be made concerning new data feeds and enhancements to existing data feeds in light of gleaned information concerning type, location, and/or technological configuration of the specific enterprise. In addition or instead, other data collections/databases (proprietary and/or publicly accessible) containing information at any level of granularity concerning cyberthreats can be analyzed in this context.
Thus, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may create a prioritized threat list 313. It is to be understood that the granularity of the list 313 can vary between implementations as desired (i.e., the threat list 313 may contain threats, threat types, threat groups, tactics, techniques, procedures, etc., as desired). The exact format and content of the threat list 313 may vary between implementations as desired. The threats identified in the prioritized threat list 313 are those that are applicable to the specific enterprise 109 at any desired level of granularity (e.g., threat techniques known to target the organization's technological environment, business processes, customer demographic, industry, location, data, and/or any combination of these and other factors). This prioritized threat list 313 can subsequently be used for analysis of the effectiveness of threat detection, triage, response and mitigation as described in more detail below.
The specific threat intelligence information that is obtained and analyzed to create the prioritized threat list 313 can vary between implementations. Table 1 below outlines examples of specific analysis factors that can be utilized in this process. It is to be understood that this is just an example of possible factors, and in different embodiments, fewer, more and/or different factors can be utilized. Different weights can be assigned to different factors in different implementations as desired.
Turning now to the analysis of data feeds 305, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can automatically inventory and assess the data feeds 305 maintained by the enterprise level security system 303 of the specific enterprise 109. These data feeds 305 may include alerts and logs generated by components of the enterprise level security system 303, such as product alerts generated by specific cybersecurity products (e.g., an antimalware system) and logs maintained by various components (e.g., firewalls, intrusion protection systems, access management systems, etc.). In this context, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can identify specific alerts and specific log entries generated by various components in the enterprise level security system 303, and map them to specific threat components in the tracked dynamic threat landscape (e.g., specific entries in the prioritized threat list 313). Note that as the term is used herein, a “threat component” can be in the form of a tactic, technique, and/or procedure (TTP) used by a malicious party in an attack or other malicious activity, but can also be in the form of other instantiations of cybersecurity threat activity outside of the TTP framework.
This assessment may include identifying the log entries and generated alerts, and their associated sources (e.g., specific platforms and security products) where applicable. These identified data feeds 305 can be mapped them to specific threat components in the tracked dynamic threat landscape, for example by analyzing threat intelligence and research 311, such as, e.g., MITRE ATT&CK data sources. This enables the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 to identify feed data appropriate for detecting, analyzing, responding to and/or mitigating specific threat components in the tracked dynamic threat landscape, and thus in turn to identify relevant feed data that both is and is not absent from what is currently maintained by the enterprise level security system 303. Additional assessment attributes can include, for example, the depth of the logs collected by the enterprise level security system 303 (e.g. how many different event types from a given source are logged?) and the scope of the collection (e.g., for how many assets and users is a given log being collected?).
The enterprise level security system 303 can automatically quantify the effectiveness of the data feed utilization by the enterprise level security system 303, relative to the tracked dynamic threat landscape to which the computer resources of the specific enterprise are subject. This can include, for example, identifying multiple categories concerning feed data, such as feed data mapped to specific threat components in the tracked dynamic threat landscape, feed data tracked by the enterprise level security system 303, feed data relevant to detecting and/or mitigating specific threat components in the tracked dynamic threat landscape, and the processing of feed data by the enterprise level security system 303. It is to be understood that these are just examples of possible categories. In any case, each one of the identified categories concerning feed data is analyzed, and a specific quantification score is calculated denoting effectiveness of data feed utilization by the enterprise level security system 303, as described in more detail below.
More specifically, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can create a list of data categories that are most effective for detecting threats on the prioritized threat list 313. The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can automatically map all data feeds 305 maintained by the enterprise security system 303 to these data categories, and provide a detailed breakdown of the data feed quality per category. The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can then use this information to determine and quantify the effectiveness of data feed utilization by the enterprise, represented by, e.g., a numerical score, for example from 1-100.
This process builds on the generation of the prioritized threat list 313 as described above. The assessment of the data feeds 305 enables an articulation of which types of data sources should be monitored to best detect the items on the prioritized threat list 313. In addition, the details of the relevant data feeds may be analyzed for a better understanding of the quality thereof. Quality of feed data is an important component for threat detection. If the monitored feeds are not providing the most relevant information in a timely manner, the effectiveness of the threat detection will be negatively impacted.
Table 2 details examples factors (weighted or otherwise) that the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may use in the assessment and quantification of the effectiveness of data feed utilization by the enterprise. Table 2 describes these factors, and what information is collected and automatically processed from the enterprise's logging environment for each. The factors illustrated in Table 2 are just examples of possible factors, and in different implementations, fewer, more and/or different factors can be utilized, and different weights can be assigned to different factors as desired.
The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can also automatically inventory, assess and quantify the effectiveness of threat detection rules 307 deployed by the enterprise level security system 303. The effectiveness of threat detection rule 307 utilization by the enterprise level security system 303 is quantified, relative to the tracked dynamic threat landscape to which the computer resources of the specific enterprise 109 are subject (e.g., the prioritized threat list 313). More specifically, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can assesses the detection rules 307 deployed at the SIEM (s) 113 for their relevance and effectiveness (e.g., correlation quality, alert volume, alert staleness) for detecting prioritized threats. A corresponding quantification score is generated.
For example, multiple categories concerning threat detection can be identified, such as mapping of threat detection rules to specific threat components in the tracked dynamic threat landscape, relevance of threat detection rules deployed by the enterprise level security system 303 to specific threat components in the tracked dynamic threat landscape, quality of threat detection rules deployed by the enterprise level security system 303, completeness of threat detection rules deployed by the enterprise level security system 303, ability of the enterprise level security system 303 to detect specific types of threat components, and ability of the enterprise level security system 303 to detect new threat components. Each one of the identified categories concerning threat detection can be analyzed, and a specific quantification score denoting the effectiveness of threat detection rule utilization by the enterprise level security system 303 can be calculated, based on analysis of each one of the identified threat detection categories.
Table 3 details examples factors (weighted or otherwise) that the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may utilize in the quantification of the effectiveness of threat detection rules 307 utilized by the enterprise level security system 303. Table 3 describes these factors, and what information is collected and automatically processed from the enterprise's detection environment to be able to better understand the ability of the enterprise security system 303 to detect prioritized threats. The factors illustrated in Table 3 are just examples of possible factors, and in different implementations, fewer, more and/or different factors can be utilized, and different weights can be assigned as desired.
The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may also automatically assess the processing capability of alerts generated by threat detection rules of the enterprise level security system 303, and automatically quantify the effectiveness thereof (e.g., how quickly and effectively the SOC 111 is able to triage alerts that originate from threat detection rules 307). In this capacity the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may identify multiple categories concerning processing capability of alerts generated by threat detection rules, such as, for example, alert efficacy, correlation of alerts to actual security events, alert triage time, new alert development time, quantity of security incidents processed per period of time, periods of time utilized to process security incidents, and amounts and/or effectiveness of human analyst time utilized in alert processing. Based on analysis of each of these identified categories, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may calculate a specific quantification score denoting the capability of the enterprise level security system 303 to respond to detection rule generated alerts.
Table 4 details examples factors (weighted or otherwise) that the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may utilize in the quantification of the processing capability of alerts generated by threat detection rules of the enterprise level security system 303. The factors illustrated in Table 4 are just examples of possible factors, and in different implementations, fewer, more and/or different factors can be utilized, and different weights can be assigned as desired.
Further, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may automatically assess the threat response capability of the enterprise level security system 303, and quantifying the effectiveness thereof (e.g., how capably is the SOC 111 able to respond to threats after they have been detected). Responding to a threat can comprise controlling the threat by taking actions to prevent the threat from being able to penetrate the enterprise and/or compromise its resources, such as changing firewall settings or fixing vulnerabilities that enable the threat to successfully attack the enterprise. Responding to a threat can also comprise mitigating an attack by the threat, for example by terminating active malicious processes, repairing damaged files, restoring system settings changed by the attack, etc. Multiple categories concerning threat be response capability can identified, such as deployed threat mitigation tools, ratio of automatic to manual threat mitigations per period of time, response dwell time, and percentage of threats successfully mitigated per period of time. Each of the identified categories is analyzed, and in response a quantification score is calculated, denoting the capability of the enterprise level security system 303 to mitigate threats.
Table 5 details examples factors (weighted or otherwise) that the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 may utilize in the quantification of the threat response capability of the enterprise level security system 303. The factors illustrated in Table 5 are just examples of possible factors, and in different implementations, fewer, more and/or different factors can be utilized, and different weights can be assigned as desired.
The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 automatically quantifies an effectiveness of the enterprise level security system 303 as a whole, based on at least the tracked dynamic threat landscape, and the quantifications of the effectiveness of data feed utilization and threat detection rule utilization by the enterprise level security system 303. The quantifications of the processing capability of alerts generated by threat detection rules and/or the threat response capability of the enterprise level security system 303 can be taken into account as well. In other words, as noted above, the overall effectiveness quantification can be calculated as a score 301, rating a combination of determined quantifications of the ability of the enterprise level security system 303 to prioritize, log, detect, triage, respond to, and mitigate security threats. The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can apply different weights to different sub-quantifications taken into account when calculating the overall score 301, as well as to different categories used in calculating different sub-quantifications. Which factors to weight and how much to weight different factors are design parameters that can vary between implementations as desired.
Thus, the overall score 301 provide a detailed understanding of an enterprise's security posture, based on the factors described above (e.g., threat landscape, data feeds 305, threat detection rules 307, alert processing capability, and threat response capability). Each factor is informed by multiple categories that can identify vulnerabilities and gaps within the configuration of the enterprise level security system 303. These identified gaps can be used to provide detailed recommendations 309 for improvement, and to execute threat mitigation actions.
Describing this process in more detail, the overall score 301 may be computed using the primary sub-quantifications described above, each of which is in turn calculated based on multiple relevant categories. The calculation of the overall score 301 may take into account a prioritized set of tactics, techniques, and procedures that are commonly used by specific threat groups that target the enterprise, based on its type (e.g., field, industry, size, etc.), location, and deployed technology (e.g., platforms, infrastructure, etc.). Below are some examples of use cases concerning the overall score 301.
The overall score 301 can be, for example, a numerical value from 0-100. The overall score 301 may be denote multiple effectiveness ranges (e.g., beginning, evolving, intermediate, advanced, and innovative). Each range may distinguish different levels of the effectiveness/maturity of the enterprise level security system 303, in order to enable, e.g., security analysts to understand their security posture, for example based on cybersecurity standards or the security postures of their industry peers. As one possible example, a score of, e.g., 0-20 could indicate a beginning effectiveness level, in which the cybersecurity detection and response program is in its initial stages using, e.g., ad-hoc methodologies. At this level, threats would typically not be clearly identified or prioritized, data would be either not logged, parsed correctly or aggregated to be able to detect suspicious activity, no structured or repeatable processes would be defined to create detections, resources and systems would not be deployed to properly respond to alerts, and proper technology controls would not be implemented correctly in order to properly prevent and respond to threats. At this level, security incidents and threat activity have a high probability of going undetected.
A score of, e.g., 21-40 could indicate that the effectiveness of the system is evolving, indicating that a more formal cybersecurity detection and response organization exists (either built internally or outsourced). Efforts are documented and structured. However, no significant intelligence capability has been created to prioritize threats and vulnerabilities, the majority of detections are generated from security technology with limited enterprise input, the volume of alerts is high and alert efficacy is low, requiring significant manual triage. The dwell time to respond is high. Critical cybersecurity incidents and threat activity has a substantive probability of going undetected, or if detected, will not likely be responded to within a reasonable period of time to be effective in disrupting an adversary's actions or objectives.
A score of, e.g., 41-60 could indicate that the effectiveness of the system is intermediate. An intermediate score could indicate, for example, that a formal and effective cybersecurity detection and response organization exists. Key relevant data sources are collected and parsed correctly. A good set of threat detection rules are in place. Complete visibility and detection coverage is still lacking. Due to the limited resources and the increased number of alerts from the both custom built detections and security vendors, the high alert volume is not sustainable. Triage takes longer than is desirable due to minimal correlation and enrichment. Triage and responses are still largely manual, the organization is still primarily reactive, and security controls may exist but are misconfigured and not able to adequately prevent/mitigate threats
A score of, e.g., 61-80 could indicate that the effectiveness of the system is advanced. This indicates a mature cybersecurity detection and response organization where processes are managed quantitatively to establish predictable results. Efforts have been documented, structured, and standardized, and processes of detection and response are properly defined and repeatable across lines of business. The enterprise has a proficient understanding of relevant threats and priorities. Alert volume and efficacy is sustainable, and resources or technologies are deployed that are able to handle and remediate the threats within a reasonable period of time. In-depth security defense exists (e.g., layers of controls) to help thwart successful attacks. Automation is in place to handle repetitive tasks. Analysts spend time on hunting and automation along with triaging.
A score of, e.g., 61-80 could indicate that the system is innovative. Extremely sophisticated cybersecurity detection and response organization exists here. Such organizations can not only detect, triage and respond to known threats, but also drive innovation in people, processes and technology for the organization and the industry to manage cyber-risks. Such organizations develop new controls and tools, and form information sharing groups. Real-time and predictive analytics may be tied to automated processes.
It is to be understood that these ranges and the effectiveness levels they denote are examples only.
The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can also automatically output recommendations 309 concerning more effective utilization of data feeds 305 and/or threat detection rules 307 to protect the computer resources of the specific enterprise 409 against the tracked dynamic threat landscape. Recommendations 309 can also be automatically made to improve the processing capability of alerts generated by threat detection rules and/or the threat response capability of the enterprise level security system 303.
Such recommendations 309 can take the form of suggesting specific new threat components to prioritize and/or existing threat components to re-prioritize, based on detected changes to the tracked dynamic threat landscape to which the computer resources of the specific enterprise are subject. Another example is recommending new feed data to collect and process, improvements to make monitoring and processing of existing data feeds, changes to existing logging configurations, and/or steps to improve data feed normalization and parsing. Recommendations 309 can indicate which new data feeds 305 to collect and which existing data feeds to upgrade 305 (e.g., collect new event types in an existing log) so that prioritized rules have the data to correctly execute their correlations, making the rule most effective against prioritized threats.
Examples of recommendations 309 concerning detection rules include new and/or updated detection rules to deploy in order to fill threat detection gaps, recommendations 309 concerning automation regression testing of detection rule generated alerts, and/or recommendations 309 to automatically tune and/or update detection rules. Recommendations 309 can also indicate specific detection rules to deploy to have greater impact against prioritized threats. Such detection rules may be sourced from, e.g., a repository of rules available to the enterprise. This repository may contain, for example, rules provided by the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101, rules developed by the enterprise, and rules that may be shared by other trusted enterprises.
Concerning improvement of processing capability of alerts generated by threat detection rules, possible recommendations 309 may include suggestions for correlating alerts to actual security events, improving alert efficacy, improving alert triage time, improving new alert development time, lowering alert volume, and/or lowering amounts of human analyst time used. Recommendations 309 can also suggest specific productivity changes that if made would enable better correlation to reduce alert volume and improve efficacy of detection to aid in improving response.
On the response capability side, recommendation possibilities include actions to take to improve correlation of detection rule generated alerts to actual security events, to improve alert triage time, to improve new alert development time, to lower alert volume, and/or to lower amounts of human analyst time used in alert processing. Such recommendations 309 can also indicate response changes to more effectively mitigate detected threats, either manually or through automatic means.
The assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can also automatically take one or more actions to mitigate at least specific threats, for example by automatically implementing a provided recommendation 309.
In some implementations, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 also uses the functionality described above to automatically calculate an impact of a proposed change (e.g., proposed by a human SOC analysist operating an interface) to the enterprise level security system 303 on the quantification of the effectiveness thereof. In other words, in response to a proposed change, the assessment, recommendation and mitigation manager 101 can predict the impact the change would have on the overall score 301, and output this information, e.g., through the interface.
As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the subject matter described herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or integral characteristics thereof. Likewise, the particular naming and division of the portions, modules, agents, managers, components, functions, procedures, actions, layers, features, attributes, methodologies, data structures and other aspects are not mandatory or significant, and the entities used that implement the subject matter described herein may have different names, divisions and/or formats. The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific implementations. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The implementations were chosen and described in order to best explain relevant principles and their practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize various implementations with or without various modifications as may be suited to the particular use contemplated.
In some instances, various implementations may be presented herein in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent set of operations leading to a desired result. The operations are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout this disclosure, discussions utilizing terms including “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “displaying,” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
Finally, the structure, algorithms, and/or interfaces presented herein are not inherently tied to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the method blocks. The structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description above. In addition, the specification is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the specification as described herein.
Accordingly, the disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the subject matter set forth in the following claims.
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