IP Library Granted Patent US 7,757,293
Granted Patent B2
US 7,757,293 · App. 11/735,491 · Granted Jul 13, 2010

Automated computer system security compromise

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,757,293
App. No.
11/735,491
Granted
Jul 13, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system is provided for performing penetration testing of a target computer network by installing a remote agent in the target computer network. The system includes a local agent provided in a computer console and configured to receive and execute commands. A user interface is provided in the console and configured to send commands to and receive information from the local agent, process the information, and present the processed information. A database is configured to store the information received from the local agent. A network interface is connected to the local agent and configured to communicate with the remote agent installed in the target computer network via a network. Security vulnerability exploitation modules are provided for execution by the local agent and/or the remote agent.

Claims (19)

1. A system for performing penetration testing of a target computer network by installing a remote agent in the target computer network, the system comprising: a local agent provided in a console and configured to receive and execute commands, wherein the local agent further comprises a system-calls proxy server, wherein the local agent functions as a client when connected to a remote agent and wherein the local agent functions as a server when connected to the console, wherein the local agent is configured to receive and execute system calls, and a virtual machine configured to execute scripting language; a user interface provided in the console and configured to send commands to and receive information from the local agent, process the information, and present the processed information; a database configured to store the information received from the local agent; a network interface connected to the local agent and configured to communicate via a network with the remote agent installed in the target computer network; and security vulnerability exploitation modules for execution by the local agent and/or the remote agent.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface enables a user to select one of the modules and initiate execution of the selected module on either the local agent or the remote agent.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface provides a graphical representation of the target computer network.

4. A method for performing penetration testing of a target computer network, comprising: installing a remote agent in the target computer network; executing a command using a local agent provided in a console, wherein the local agent further comprises a system-calls proxy server, wherein the local agent functions as a client when connected to a remote agent and wherein the local agent functions as a server when connected to the console, wherein the local agent is configured to receive and execute system calls, and a virtual machine configured to execute scripting language; receiving information from the local agent in a user interface provided in the console; presenting the information received from the local agent to a user; storing the information received from the local agent in a database; communicating via a network with the remote agent installed in the target computer network; and providing security vulnerability exploitation modules for execution by the local agent and/or the remote agent.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

selecting, using the user interface, one of the modules; and

initiating execution of the selected module on either the local agent or the remote agent.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising providing a graphical representation of the target computer network using the user interface.

7. A system for performing penetration testing of a target computer network, the system comprising: a memory; and a processor configured by the memory to perform the steps of: installing a remote agent in the target computer network; executing a command using a local agent provided in a console, wherein the local agent further comprises a system-calls proxy server, wherein the local agent functions as a client when connected to a remote agent and wherein the local agent functions as a server when connected to the console, wherein the local agent is configured to receive and execute system calls, and a virtual machine configured to execute scripting language; receiving information from the local agent in a user interface provided in the console; presenting the information received from the local agent to a user; storing the information received from the local agent in a database; communicating via a network with the remote agent installed in the target computer network; and providing security vulnerability exploitation modules for execution by the local agent and/or the remote agent.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured by the memory to perform the steps of:

selecting, using the user interface, one of the modules; and

initiating execution of the selected module on either the local agent or the remote agent.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured by the memory to perform the step of providing a graphical representation of the target computer network using the user interface.

10. A method for performing penetration testing of a target network, comprising the steps of: executing a first module in a console having a user interface, the first module being configured to exploit a security vulnerability in a first target host of the target network; installing a first remote agent in the first target host, the first remote agent being configured to communicate with the console and a second remote agent; and executing a second module in the first remote agent, the second module being configured to exploit a security vulnerability in a second target host of the target network, wherein the console further comprises a local agent wherein the local agent further comprises a system-calls proxy server, wherein the local agent functions as a client when connected to a remote agent and wherein the local agent functions as a server when connected to the console, wherein the local agent is configured to receive and execute system calls, and a virtual machine configured to execute scripting language.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising installing a second remote agent in the second target host of the target network, the second remote agent being configured to communicate with the first remote agent.

12. A system for performing penetration testing of a target network, comprising: a console having a user interface; a first module configured to execute in the console to exploit a security vulnerability in a first target host of the target network; a first remote agent installed in the first target host, the first remote agent being configured to communicate with the console and a second remote agent; and a second module configured to execute in the first remote agent to exploit a security vulnerability in a second target host of the target network, wherein the local agent functions as a client when connected to a remote agent and wherein the local agent functions as a server when connected to the console, wherein the local agent is configured to receive and execute system calls, and a virtual machine configured to execute scripting language.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a second remote agent installed in the second target host of the target network, the second remote agent being configured to communicate with the first remote agent.

14. A system for performing penetration testing of a target network, the system comprising: a memory; and a processor configured by the memory to perform the steps of: executing a first module in a console having a user interface, the first module being configured to exploit a security vulnerability in a first target host of the target network; installing a first remote agent in the first target host, the first remote agent being configured to communicate with the console and a second remote agent; and executing a second module in the first remote agent, the second module being configured to exploit a security vulnerability in a second target host of the target network, wherein the local agent functions as a client when connected to a remote agent and wherein the local agent functions as a server when connected to the console, wherein the local agent is configured to receive and execute system calls, and a virtual machine configured to execute scripting language.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured by the memory to install a second remote agent in the second target host of the target network, the second remote agent being configured to communicate with the first remote agent.

Assignments (16)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 51059/0861 Recorded Nov 24, 2025
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
To: FORTRA, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC)
Reel/Frame 073783/0406 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 51059/0911 Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERV ICES LLC
To: FORTRA, LLC (F/K/A HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC)
Reel/Frame 073662/0442 →
ASSIGNMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 14, 2025
From: GOLUB CAPITAL MARKETS LLC (AS EXISTING AGENT)
To: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERVICES LLC (AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT)
Reel/Frame 072471/0665 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2025
From: PNC BANK. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: COURION CORPORATION; CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CORE SDI, INC.; COURIONLIVE CORPORATION; COURION HOLDINGS, INC.; COURION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 070086/0008 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 15, 2022
From: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
To: FORTRA, LLC
Reel/Frame 062136/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 20, 2021
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS EXISTING AGENT
To: GOLUB CAPITAL MARKETS LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 056322/0628 →
SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 19, 2019
From: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051059/0911 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 19, 2019
From: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051059/0861 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: CORE SDI, INC.
To: HELP/SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 048381/0497 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2019
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: COURION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.; CORE SECURITY SDI CORPORATION; CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CORE SDI, INC.; CORE SECURITY LIVE CORPORATION; CORE SECURITY HOLDINGS, INC.; DAMABLLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 048281/0835 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 4, 2018
From: SARATOGA INVESTMENT CORP. SBIC LP
To: COURION CORPORATION; CORE SDI, INC.; CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 044535/0830 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 10, 2016
From: COURION CORPORATION; CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CORE SDI, INC.
To: SARATOGA INVESTMENT CORP. SBIC LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 040298/0816 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2015
From: MULTIPLIER CAPITAL, L.P.
To: CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CORE SDI, INC.
Reel/Frame 037372/0488 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2015
From: COURION CORPORATION; CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CORE SDI, INC.; COURIONLIVE CORPORATION; COURION HOLDINGS, INC.; COURION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 037374/0301 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 019916 FRAME: 0259. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 22, 2015
From: RICHARTE, GERARDO GABRIEL; QUESADA, RICARDO; FRIEDERICHS, OLIVER; AJZENMAN, GUSTAVO; CACERES, MAXIMILIANO GERARDO; FRIEDMAN, AGUSTIN AZUBEL; NOTARFRANCESCO, LUCIANO; BECEDILLAS, GABRIEL; BURRONI, JAVIER; LEIDL, BRUCE
To: CORE SDI, INC.
Reel/Frame 037358/0546 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2013
From: CORE SDI, INC.; CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MULTIPLIER CAPITAL, LP
Reel/Frame 031077/0477 →