Patent ID: 8099760

Claim:
A method for performing risk assessment in a computer network, the method comprising: generating, by a server computer, a network topology model for the computer network that includes a set of network nodes, a set of services associated with the set of network nodes, and a set of actual vulnerabilities associated with the set of network nodes; using the network topology model to generate an attack graph that is presented as a layered graph in which graph nodes in odd layers represent states of services, graph nodes in even layers represent actions, wherein edges connect the graph nodes; determining, by the server computer, one or more potential attacks from one or more start points to one or more end points in the network topology model based on the attack graph; and associating, by the server computer, one or more risks with the one or more potential attacks; wherein each risk takes into account a degree or a magnitude of a potential damage from a particular attack as well as a probability of such a particular attack.