System and method for multi-source vulnerability management

1. A method for multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management, the method implemented by a network traffic management system comprising one or more network traffic apparatuses, client devices, or server devices, the method comprising:

receiving cloud-element data related to a cloud-based element in a cloud environment;

receiving first vulnerability data from a first vulnerability source;

receiving second vulnerability data from a second vulnerability source that is a vendor of a particular operating system;

receiving cloud-element context data comprising the particular operating system of about the cloud-based element from the cloud environment;

replacing the first vulnerability source and the second vulnerability source with a multiple-source vulnerability database generated from both the first vulnerability data and from the second vulnerability data such that a reported vulnerability from the first vulnerability source and a separate reported vulnerability from the second vulnerability source are combined into a single common vulnerability in the multiple-source vulnerability database;

evaluating the cloud-element data and the cloud-element context data using the multiple-source vulnerability database to generate a vulnerability assessment related to the single common vulnerability and the particular operating system; and

generating a list of remediation steps in response to the vulnerability assessment.

2. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the vulnerability assessment comprises a prioritized list of vulnerabilities.

3. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the vulnerability assessment comprises a list of vulnerabilities with associated severities.

4. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the vulnerability assessment comprises aggregated vulnerability key performance indicators.

5. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 further comprising prioritizing the list of remediation steps.

6. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 5 wherein the prioritized list of remediation steps comprises a recommended software patch.

7. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 5 wherein the prioritized list of remediation steps comprises a software removal package.

8. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the generating the multiple-source vulnerability database from both the first vulnerability data and from the second vulnerability data comprises processing the first and second vulnerability data to generate a common vulnerability.

9. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the evaluating the cloud-element data and the cloud-element context data using the multiple-source vulnerability database to generate the vulnerability assessment comprises listing vulnerabilities that are specific to the cloud-based element.

10. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein at least one of the cloud-based elements comprises a cloud-based computer.

11. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein at least one of the cloud-based elements comprises a cloud-based virtual machine.

12. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first and/or second vulnerability data from at least one of the first and second vulnerability sources comprises receiving vulnerability data from a public vulnerability database.

13. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first and/or second vulnerability data from at least one of the first and second vulnerability source comprises receiving vulnerability data from a webpage.

14. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first and/or second vulnerability data from at least one of the first and second vulnerability sources comprises receiving vulnerability data from a file.

15. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first and/or second vulnerability data from at least one of the first and second vulnerability source comprises receiving vulnerability data from an operating-system-specific data source.

16. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the cloud-element data comprises package data.

17. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 16 wherein the package data comprises package type.

18. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 16 wherein the package data comprises package version.

19. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 wherein the cloud-element data comprises server data.

20. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 19 wherein the server data comprises server type.

21. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 19 wherein the server data comprises data regarding server web traffic.

22. The method of multi-source cloud-infrastructure vulnerability management of claim 1 further comprising providing the vulnerability assessment to a user.

23. A network traffic manager apparatus, comprising memory comprising programmed instructions stored in the memory and one or more processors configured to execute the programmed instructions stored in the memory to:

receive cloud-element data related to a cloud-based element in a cloud environment;

receive first vulnerability data from a first vulnerability source;

receive second vulnerability data from a second vulnerability source that is a vendor of a particular operating system;

receive cloud-element context data comprising the particular operating system of the cloud-based element from the cloud environment;

replace the first vulnerability source and the second vulnerability source with a multiple-source vulnerability database generated from both the first vulnerability data and from the second vulnerability data such that a reported vulnerability from the first vulnerability source and a separate reported vulnerability from the second vulnerability source are combined into a single common vulnerability in the multiple-source vulnerability database;

evaluate the cloud-element data and the cloud-element context data using the multiple-source vulnerability database to generate a vulnerability assessment related to the single common vulnerability and the particular operating system; and

generate a list of remediation steps in response to the vulnerability assessment.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the programmed instructions stored in the memory to receive first vulnerability data from the first vulnerability source and that receives second vulnerability data from the second vulnerability source comprise the same processor.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the programmed instructions stored in the memory to evaluate the cloud-element data and the cloud-element context data comprise the same processor.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising the first and second vulnerability source.