Central system for computer system security assessment

1 . A method for determining a security status of a target computing system, the method comprising:

acquiring, using one of a plurality of modules of a central system, at least one target system record of a target computing system, wherein the target computing system comprises a system being analyzed for an overall security status;

scanning system components of the target computing system to identify a host that is accessing the target computing system and that is of interest based upon a network protocol of the host, wherein identifying that the host is of interest comprises identifying, during the scanning, indicators that indicate the host has a security status that is of interest based upon characteristics of interactions of the host with the target computing system;

identifying, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, information of the target computing system pertinent to the overall security status of the target computing system by analyzing, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, the at least one target system record, wherein the analyzing comprises generating, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system and based upon the at least one target system record and the scanning, at least an initial determination regarding the overall security status of the target computing system, wherein the generating the at least an initial determination comprises categorizing the target computing system and providing an explanation explaining the categorizing;

generating, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, a report for the target computing system based upon the information identified, wherein the report provides data regarding the overall security status of the target computing system; and

presenting, within a dashboard of the central system, at least a portion of the report to a user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring comprises converting the at least one target system record into a format processable by the central system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring further comprises acquiring memory of the target computing system.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring comprises utilizing a server and client architecture located at the target computing system.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing comprises utilizing a modular platform of the central system, wherein each module of the modular platform analyzes different information of the at least one target system record.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying and generating are performed without additional user input by the central system responsive to receiving job instructions from a user.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying, without user input, correlations based upon the information.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising generating notifications to a user based upon parameters related to the correlations.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising returning search results from the information identified responsive to receiving information search criteria from a user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing, within the central system, a current status of a job and errors identified by the central system.

11 . A central system for determining a security status of a target computing system, the central system comprising:

a dashboard displayable on a display device;

a processor operatively coupled to the dashboard and central system;

a memory device that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to:

acquire, using one of a plurality of modules of the central system, at least one target system record of a target computing system, wherein the target computing system comprises a system being analyzed for an overall security status;

scan system components of the target computing system to identify a host that is accessing the target computing system and that is of interest based upon a network protocol of the host, wherein identifying that the host is of interest comprises identifying, during the scanning, indicators that indicate the host has a security status that is of interest based upon characteristics of interactions of the host with the target computing system;

identify, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, information of the target computing system pertinent to the overall security status of the target computing system by analyzing, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system and based upon the at least one target system record and the scanning, the at least one target system record, wherein the analyzing comprises generating, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, at least an initial determination regarding the overall security status of the target computing system, wherein the generating the at least an initial determination comprises categorizing the target computing system and providing an explanation explaining the categorizing;

generate, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, a report for the target computing system based upon the information identified, wherein the report provides data regarding the overall security status of the target computing system; and

present, within the dashboard of the central system, at least a portion of the report to a user.

12 . The central system of claim 11 , wherein the acquiring comprises converting the at least one target system record into a format processable by the central system.

13 . The central system of claim 11 , wherein the acquiring further comprises acquiring memory of the target processing central system.

14 . The central system of claim 11 , wherein the acquiring comprises utilizing a server and client architecture located at the target processing central system.

15 . The central system of claim 11 , wherein the analyzing comprises utilizing a modular platform of the central system, wherein each module of the modular platform analyzes different information of the at least one target system record.

16 . The central system of claim 11 , wherein the identifying and generating are performed without additional user input by the central system responsive to receiving job instructions from a user.

17 . The central system of claim 11 , further comprising identifying, without user input, correlations based upon the information.

18 . The central system of claim 17 , further comprising generating notifications to a user based upon parameters related to the correlations.

19 . The central system of claim 11 , further comprising returning search results from the information identified responsive to receiving information search criteria from a user.

20 . A product for determining a security status of a target computing system, the product comprising:

a computer-readable storage device that stores executable code that, when executed by a processor, causes the product to:

acquire, using one of a plurality of modules of a central system, at least one target system record of a target computing system, wherein the target computing system comprises a system being analyzed for an overall security status;

scan system components of the target computing system to identify a host that is accessing the target computing system and that is of interest based upon a network protocol of the host, wherein identifying that the host is of interest comprises identifying, during the scanning, indicators that indicate the host has a security status that is of interest based upon characteristics of interactions of the host with the target computing system;

identify, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, information of the target computing system pertinent to the overall security status of the target computing system by analyzing, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, the at least one target system record, wherein the analyzing comprises generating, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system and based upon the at least one target system record and the scanning, at least an initial determination regarding the overall security status of the target computing system, wherein the generating the at least an initial determination comprises categorizing the target computing system and providing an explanation explaining the categorizing;

generate, using one of the plurality of modules of the central system, a report for the target computing system based upon the information identified, wherein the report provides data regarding the overall security status of the target computing system; and

present, within a dashboard of the central system, at least a portion of the report to a user.