IP Library Granted Patent US 11,463,465
Granted Patent B2
US 11,463,465 · App. 16/989,343 · Granted Oct 4, 2022

Automatic determination of user roles and asset types based on network monitoring

Inventors: Xue Jun Wu (Seattle, WA); Benjamin Thomas Higgins (Shoreline, WA); Michael Kerber Krause Montague (Lake Forest Park, WA); Po-Shen Lee (Seattle, WA); Songqian Chen (Seattle, WA); Jade Alexi Tabony (Seattle, WA); Katherine Megan Porterfield (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: ExtraHop Networks, Inc.
H04L63/1425H04L63/105
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,463,465
App. No.
16/989,343
Filed
Aug 10, 2020
Granted
Oct 4, 2022
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2438
USPC
726/4
Abstract

Embodiments are directed to monitoring network traffic to determine users and assets based on the network traffic. A user role model may assign a user role and provide a role confidence score for the users based on network traffic associated with the users. An asset model may assign an asset type and provide an asset confidence score the assets based on network traffic associated with the assets. The users may be associated with assets based on the network traffic. The role confidence scores provided for the users may be modified based on the asset type assigned to assets associated with the users. The asset confidence score provided for the assets may be modified based on the user role assigned to the users associated with the assets. A report that includes information about the user roles and the asset types may be provided.

Claims (52)

1. A method for monitoring network traffic using one or more network monitoring computers to perform actions, comprising:

providing a user role model to assign a user role and provide a role confidence score to a plurality of users based on a portion of the network traffic and one or more previously determined inferences for the user role or previously determined inferences for the role confidence score associated with the user role model;

providing an asset model to assign an asset type and provide an asset confidence score to a plurality of assets based on another portion of the network traffic and one or more previously determined inferences for the asset type or previously determined inferences for the asset confidence score associated with the asset model;

modifying the role confidence score provided to one or more users and the one or more assets based on a comparison of the one or more previously determined inferences of the user role to the one or more previously determined inferences of the asset type;

and

providing a report that employs geolocation information to select one or more features to present one or more results of the comparison, the one or more user roles, and the one or more asset types.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring network traffic to determine the plurality of users and the plurality of assets based on one or more characteristics of the network traffic.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

associating one or more users of the plurality of users with one or more assets of the plurality of assets based on the network traffic.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the role confidence score, further comprises:

employing the asset type assigned to the one or more assets associated with the one or more users.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the asset confidence score, further comprises:

employing the user role assigned to the one or more users associated with the one or more assets.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more features further comprise:

one or more of a time zone, spoken language, or calendar format that is used in or more of monitoring network traffic, user interfaces, or databases.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

indicating one or more inferred user roles based on the one or more results of the comparison having a convergence of the one or more user roles with the one or more asset types.

8. A network monitoring computer (NMC) for monitoring network traffic between one or more computers over a network, comprising:

a memory to store at least instructions; and

one or more processors that execute instructions that enable performance of actions, including:

providing a user role model to assign a user role and provide a role confidence score to a plurality of users based on a portion of the network traffic and one or more previously determined inferences for the user role or previously determined inferences for the role confidence score associated with the user role model;

providing an asset model to assign an asset type and provide an asset confidence score to a plurality of assets based on another portion of the network traffic and one or more previously determined inferences for the asset type or previously determined inferences for the asset confidence score associated with the asset model;

modifying the role confidence score provided to one or more users and the one or more assets based on a comparison of the one or more previously determined inferences of the user role to the one or more previously determined inferences of the asset type; and

providing a report that employs geolocation information to select one or more features to present one or more results the comparison, the one or more user roles, and the one or more asset types.

9. The NMC of claim 8 , further comprising:

monitoring network traffic to determine the plurality of users and the plurality of assets based on one or more characteristics of the network traffic.

10. The NMC of claim 8 , further comprising:

associating one or more users of the plurality of users with one or more assets of the plurality of assets based on the network traffic.

11. The NMC of claim 8 , wherein modifying the role confidence score, further comprises:

employing the asset type assigned to the one or more assets associated with the one or more users.

12. The NMC of claim 8 , wherein modifying the asset confidence score, further comprises:

employing the user role assigned to the one or more users associated with the one or more assets.

13. The NMC of claim 8 , wherein the one or more features further comprise:

one or more of a time zone, spoken language, or calendar format that is used in or more of monitoring network traffic, user interfaces, or databases.

14. The NMC of claim 8 , further comprising:

indicating one or more inferred user roles based on the one or more results of the comparison having a convergence of the one or more user roles with the one or more asset types.

15. A processor readable non-transitory storage media that includes at least instructions for monitoring network traffic using one or more network monitoring computers (NMC), wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors enables performance of actions, comprising:

providing a user role model to assign a user role and provide a role confidence score to a plurality of users based on a portion of the network traffic and one or more previously determined inferences for the user role or previously determined inferences for the role confidence score associated with the user role model;

providing an asset model to assign an asset type and provide an asset confidence score to a plurality of assets based on another portion of the network traffic and one or more previously determined inferences for the asset type or previously determined inferences for the asset confidence score associated with the asset model;

modifying the role confidence score provided to one or more users and the one or more assets based on a comparison of the one or more previously determined inferences of the user role to the one or more previously determined inferences of the asset type; and

providing a report that employs geolocation information to select one or more features to present one or more results the comparison, the one or more user roles, and the one or more asset types.

16. The processor readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , further comprising:

monitoring network traffic to determine the plurality of users and the plurality of assets based on one or more characteristics of the network traffic.

17. The processor readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , further comprising:

associating one or more users of the plurality of users with one or more assets of the plurality of assets based on the network traffic.

18. The processor readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , wherein modifying the role confidence score, further comprises:

employing the asset type assigned to the one or more assets associated with the one or more users.

19. The processor readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , wherein modifying the asset confidence score, further comprises:

employing the user role assigned to the one or more users associated with the one or more assets.

20. The processor readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , further comprising:

indicating one or more inferred user roles based on the one or more results of the comparison having a convergence of the one or more user roles with the one or more asset types.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2021
From: EXTRAHOP NETWORKS, INC.
To: SIXTH STREET SPECIALTY LENDING, INC., AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056998/0590 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2021
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: EXTRAHOP NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 056967/0488 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2021
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: EXTRAHOP NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 056967/0530 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2020
From: EXTRAHOP NETWORKS, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 053756/0739 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2020
From: EXTRAHOP NETWORKS, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 053756/0774 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2020
From: WU, XUE JUN; HIGGINS, BENJAMIN THOMAS; MONTAGUE, MICHAEL KERBER KRAUSE; LEE, PO-SHEN; CHEN, SONGQIAN; TABONY, JADE ALEXI; PORTERFIELD, KATHERINE MEGAN
To: EXTRAHOP NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053446/0923 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16560886 · Sep 4, 2019
Related Publication 20210194908A1 · Jun 24, 2021
Cited By (7)
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