Patent ID: 8266694

Claim:
A security gateway, for interfacing with a policy realization framework of a communications network, comprising: a processor; and a memory, in communication with the processor, having stored therein, computer-executable instructions that include an enforcement-point-determination application and, when executed, by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising: identifying traffic that poses a security threat to an integrity of a component of the communications network; analyzing the traffic posing the security threat, in an analysis act, for determining an enforcement point at which to neutralize the security threat; determining, based on results of the analysis act, the enforcement point for neutralizing the security threat, wherein neutralizing the security threat comprises preventing the security threat from affecting the integrity of the component of the communications network, and the enforcement point is selected from a group of devices consisting of: the security gateway; and a node of the policy realization framework; enforcing, if the security gateway is determined to be the enforcement point, a security policy at the security gateway to neutralize the security threat including preventing the traffic from accessing the communications network; transmitting, if the node of the policy realization framework is determined to be the enforcement point, a notification of the security threat to the node to neutralize the security threat including preventing the traffic from accessing the communications network; and updating a security threat registry at the security gateway using data identifying the security threat.