Granted Patent B1

US 7,124,181 · App. 09/895,536 · Granted Oct 17, 2006

Abstract

Claims (67)

1. A method of executing a risk-assessment scan with a variable timeout duration which is set based on network conditions, comprising:

measuring network conditions in a network coupled between a source and a target;

executing a risk-assessment scan on the target from the source; and

performing a risk-assessment scan-related timeout prior to making a determination that the target is failing to respond to the risk-assessment scan;

wherein the timeout includes a variable duration which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

wherein the risk-assessment scan is abandoned if the target fails to respond to the risk-assessment scan within the variable duration;

wherein the timeout is set by adding a default value with a variable value which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

wherein the timeout is set utilizing a plurality of network condition probes that gather multiple network condition measurements on a single target;

wherein the measured network conditions are measured for an entire network segment on which a plurality of target components is located.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the network conditions include latency associated with communication between the source and the target.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein measuring the network conditions includes transmitting a probe signal from the source to the target utilizing the network.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the probe signal prompts the target to send a response signal to the source utilizing the network.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein measuring the network conditions further includes receiving the response signal from the target utilizing the network.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein measuring the network conditions further includes measuring a response duration between the transmission of the probe signal and the receipt of the response signal.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the timeout is set as a function of the response duration.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein executing the risk-assessment scan includes executing a plurality of risk-assessment scan modules.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the timeout is performed for each of the risk-assessment scan modules.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising storing a result of the measurement of the network conditions.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the source is capable of reducing a latency of the risk-assessment scan by setting the variable duration to a minimal value, while avoiding the abandonment of vulnerable systems reachable over high latency networks by increasing the variable duration to accommodate such scenarios.

12. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for executing a risk-assessment scan with a variable timeout duration which is set based on network conditions, comprising:

a) computer code for measuring network conditions in a network coupled between a source and a target;

b) computer code for executing a risk-assessment scan on the target from the source; and

c) computer code for performing a risk-assessment scan-related timeout prior to making a determination that the target is failing to respond to the risk-assessment scan;

d) wherein the timeout includes a variable duration which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

e) wherein the risk-assessment scan is abandoned if the target fails to respond to the risk-assessment scan within the variable duration;

wherein the timeout is set by adding a default value with a variable value which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

f) wherein the timeout is set utilizing a plurality of network condition probes that gather multiple network condition measurements on a single target;

g) wherein the measured network conditions are measured for an entire network segment on which a plurality of target components is located.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 , wherein the network conditions include latency associated with communication between the source and the target.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 , wherein measuring the network conditions includes transmitting a probe signal from the source to the target utilizing the network.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 14 , wherein the probe signal prompts the target to send a response signal to the source utilizing the network.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein measuring the network conditions further includes receiving the response signal from the target utilizing the network.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 16 , wherein measuring the network conditions further includes measuring a response duration between the transmission of the probe signal and the receipt of the response signal.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 17 , wherein the timeout is set as a function of the response duration.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 , wherein executing the risk-assessment scan includes executing a plurality of risk-assessment scan modules.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 19 , wherein the timeout is performed for each of the risk-assessment scan modules,.

21. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 , and further comprising computer code for storing a result of the measurement of the network conditions.

22. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 , wherein the network conditions are measured for a network segment, and the measured network conditions are used to set the timeout for a plurality of targets located on the network segment.

23. A system embodied on a computer readable medium for executing a risk-assessment scan with a variable timeout duration which is set based on network conditions, comprising:

a) logic for measuring network conditions in a network coupled between a source and a target;

b) logic for executing a risk-assessment scan on the target from the source; and

c) logic for performing a risk-assessment scan-related timeout prior to making a determination that the target is failing to respond to the risk-assessment scan;

d) wherein the timeout includes a variable duration which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

e) wherein the risk-assessment scan is abandoned if the target fails to respond to the risk-assessment scan within the variable duration;

wherein the timeout is set by adding a default value with a variable value which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

f) wherein the timeout is set utilizing a plurality of network condition probes that gather multiple network condition measurements on a single target;

g) wherein the measured network conditions are measured for an entire network segment on which a plurality of target components is located.

24. A method of executing a risk-assessment scan with a variable timeout duration which is set based on network conditions, comprising:

a) transmitting a probe signal from a source to a target utilizing a network, the probe signal prompting the target to send a response signal to the source utilizing the network

b) receiving the response signal from the target utilizing the network;

c) measuring a response duration between the transmission of the probe signal and the receipt of the response signal;

d) executing a risk-assessment scan including a plurality of risk-assessment scan modules;

e) performing a risk-assessment scan-related timeout prior to making a determination that the target is failing to respond to each of the risk-assessment scan modules, wherein the timeout includes a variable duration which is set as a function of the response duration; and

f) abandoning the risk-assessment scan modules if the target fails to respond to the risk-assessment scan modules within the variable duration

wherein the timeout is set by adding a default value with a variable value which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

g) wherein the timeout is set utilizing a plurality of network condition probes that gather multiple network condition measurements on a single target;

h) wherein the measured network conditions are measured for an entire network segment on which a plurality of target components is located.

25. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for executing a risk-assessment scan with a variable timeout duration which is set based on network conditions, comprising:

a) computer code for transmitting a probe signal from a source to a target utilizing a network, the probe signal prompting the target to send a response signal to the source utilizing the network;

b) computer code for receiving the response signal from the target utilizing the network;

c) computer code for measuring a response duration between the transmission of the probe signal and the receipt of the response signal;

d) computer code for executing a risk-assessment scan including a plurality of risk-assessment scan modules;

e) computer code for performing a risk-assessment scan-related timeout prior to making a determination that the target is failing to respond to each of the risk-assessment scan modules, wherein the timeout includes a variable duration which is set as a function of the response duration; and

f) computer code for abandoning the risk-assessment scan modules if the target fails to respond to the risk-assessment scan modules within the variable duration;

wherein the timeout is set by adding a default value with a variable value which is set as a function of the measured network conditions;

g) wherein the timeout is set utilizing a plurality of network condition probes that gather multiple network condition measurements on a single target;

h) wherein the measured network conditions are measured for an entire network segment on which a plurality of target components is located.

Assignments (9)