Patent ID: 7383574
Filing Date: 2008-06-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for limiting the impact of undesirable behavior of computers on a network through which packets of data are interchanged between the computers, comprising: monitoring the network for any patterns of behavior; determining, upon discovering that one or more of the patterns of behavior is undesirable, a type of the undesirable pattern of behavior; determining a proper action for mitigating that type of undesirable behavior, the proper action including preventing dissemination through the network of packets associated with the undesirable behavior and allowing dissemination of packets not associated with the undesirable behavior, wherein preventing dissemination comprises at least one of changing a routing table, changing a forwarding table, turning off at least one port of a forwarding device, filtering on Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and filtering on media access control (MAC) addresses, and wherein a discovery, including that of a network topology, facilitates the network monitoring and type of undesirable behavior determination, and wherein the dissemination through the network of packets associated with the undesirable behavior is prevented for a time period that is lengthened gradually as long as the undesirable behavior continues or intermittently reappears, the time period being gradually shortened if the undesirable behavior stops for a predetermined time.