IP Library Granted Patent US 11,902,296
Granted Patent B2
US 11,902,296 · App. 17/139,058 · Granted Feb 13, 2024

Using a security analytics map to trace entity interaction

Inventors: Andrew Mortensen (Ann Arbor, MI); Assaf Almaz (Ra'anana, IL); David Coffey (Austin, TX); Ofir Arkin (Tel Aviv, IL)
Assignee: Forcepoint LLC
H04L63/14G06F21/566G06F21/577H04L63/102H04L63/1416H04L63/1425H04L63/1433H04L63/205H04L67/306G06F2221/034
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,902,296
App. No.
17/139,058
Filed
Dec 31, 2020
Granted
Feb 13, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2435
USPC
726/23
Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for performing a security operation. The security operation includes monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a first entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the first entity corresponding to a respective first plurality of events enacted by the first entity; monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a second entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the second entity corresponding to a respective second plurality of events enacted by the second entity; determining whether a first event of the respective first plurality of events and a second event of the respective second plurality of events comprise an entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity; generating an entity interaction map, the entity interaction map providing a representation of the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity; and, using the entity interaction map to trace the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity.

Claims (67)

1. A computer-implementable method for performing a security operation, comprising:

monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a first entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the first entity corresponding to a respective first plurality of events enacted by the first entity;

monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a second entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the second entity corresponding to a respective second plurality of events enacted by the second entity;

determining whether a first event of the respective first plurality of events and a second event of the respective second plurality of events comprise an entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity;

generating an entity interaction map, the entity interaction map providing a representation of the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity;

using the entity interaction map to trace the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity; and,

performing, via a security analytics system, a security analytics operation, the security analytics operation using the trace of the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity to determine when the first entity and the second entity are directly or indirectly involved in an occurrence of an anomalous event, the anomalous event comprising an interaction with a particular data file by the first entity and the second entity, the security analytics operation using the trace to identify when the first entity and the second entity interact with the particular data file prior to detection of the particular data file being associated with the occurrence of the anomalous event.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying when the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events are correlated.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the mapping comprises concatenating the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events; and,

concatenation of the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events is included within the representation of the entity interaction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity comprises a conveyance of data.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing the data with an associated unique identifier; and,

maintaining the associated unique identifier within the entity interaction map.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the entity interaction map provides a representation of a historical conveyance of data between the first entity and the second entity;

the security analytics operation uses the historical conveyance of data between the first entity and the second entity when detecting the occurrence of the anomalous event.

7. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code interacting with a plurality of computer operations and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for:

monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a first entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the first entity corresponding to a respective first plurality of events enacted by the first entity;

monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a second entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the second entity corresponding to a respective second plurality of events enacted by the second entity;

determining whether a first event of the respective first plurality of events and a second event of the respective second plurality of events comprise an entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity;

generating an entity interaction map, the entity interaction map providing a representation of the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity;

using the entity interaction map to trace the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity; and,

performing, via a security analytics system, a security analytics operation, the security analytics operation using the trace of the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity to determine when the first entity and the second entity are directly or indirectly involved in an occurrence of an anomalous event, the anomalous event comprising an interaction with a particular data file by the first entity and the second entity, the security analytics operation using the trace to identify when the first entity and the second entity interact with the particular data file prior to detection of the particular data file being associated with the occurrence of the anomalous event.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:

identifying when the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events are correlated.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the mapping comprises concatenating the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events; and,

concatenation of the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events is included within the representation of the entity interaction.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity comprises a conveyance of data.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:

providing the data with an associated unique identifier; and,

maintaining the associated unique identifier within the entity interaction map.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:

the entity interaction map provides a representation of a historical conveyance of data between the first entity and the second entity;

the security analytics operation uses the historical conveyance of data between the first entity and the second entity when detecting the occurrence of the anomalous event.

13. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a first entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the first entity corresponding to a respective first plurality of events enacted by the first entity;

monitoring a plurality of electronically-observable actions of a second entity, the plurality of electronically-observable actions of the second entity corresponding to a respective second plurality of events enacted by the second entity;

determining whether a first event of the respective first plurality of events and a second event of the respective second plurality of events comprise an entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity;

generating an entity interaction map, the entity interaction map providing a representation of the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity;

using the entity interaction map to trace the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity; and,

performing, via a security analytics system, a security analytics operation, the security analytics operation using the trace of the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity to determine when the first entity and the second entity are directly or indirectly involved in an occurrence of an anomalous event, the anomalous event comprising an interaction with a particular data file by the first entity and the second entity, the security analytics operation using the trace to identify when the first entity and the second entity interact with the particular data file prior to detection of the particular data file being associated with the occurrence of the anomalous event.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

identifying when the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events are correlated.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the mapping comprises concatenating the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events; and,

concatenation of the first event of the respective first plurality of events and the second event of the respective second plurality of events is included within the representation of the entity interaction.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the entity interaction between the first entity and the second entity comprises a conveyance of data.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

providing the data with an associated unique identifier; and,

maintaining the associated unique identifier within the entity interaction map.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

the entity interaction map provides a representation of a historical conveyance of data between the first entity and the second entity;

the security analytics operation uses the historical conveyance of data between the first entity and the second entity when detecting the occurrence of the anomalous event.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client system from a server system at a remote location.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a user on an on-demand basis.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2022
From: MORTENSEN, ANDREW; ALMAZ, ASSAF; ARKIN, OFIR
To: FORCEPOINT, LLC
Reel/Frame 060095/0990 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 31, 2021
From: FORCEPOINT LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057651/0150 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: FORCEPOINT FEDERAL HOLDINGS LLC
To: FORCEPOINT LLC
Reel/Frame 056294/0618 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 12, 2021
From: FORCEPOINT LLC
To: FORCEPOINT FEDERAL HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 056216/0204 →
Continuity (13)
Continuation 16557560 · Aug 30, 2019
Continuation In Part 16415726 · May 17, 2019
Continuation In Part 16162655 · Oct 17, 2018
Continuation 15963729 · Apr 26, 2018
Continuation In Part 15878898 · Jan 24, 2018
Continuation 15720788 · Sep 29, 2017
Provisional Application 63119116 · Nov 30, 2020
Provisional Application 63072566 · Aug 31, 2020
Provisional Application 63017400 · Apr 29, 2020
Provisional Application 62964372 · Jan 22, 2020
Provisional Application 62839060 · Apr 26, 2019
Provisional Application 62506300 · May 15, 2017
Related Publication 20210152570A1 · May 20, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,657,296