Intelligent network security assessment with modeling and analysis of attack patterns

Abstract

This paper presents a new concept for information security assessments while promoting several areas of its application. Threat generation, attack pattern analysis, quantitative risk computation, and network security monitoring locally or remotely are the major application areas of this concept. Instead of testing assets one by one, by applying separate repetitive attacks and assessments, the presented system generates and executes attacks once on a sample group, composes assessment data, and uses the data for the assessment of an entire network. This unique approach can be used as a model to guide the development of tool-based assessment systems, intelligent network security analysis, monitoring systems, and also as a complementary function in information security test and evaluation laboratories. Copyright (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.