Patent Document ID: 8490193
Application ID: 12877815
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer-based method for designing a penetration test for a penetration testing framework, comprising the steps of: defining a variable to be optimized; receiving information through an input/output device of a computer that defines a scenario, wherein the scenario further comprises, a definition of a target network, a list of penetration testing modules that are available, wherein each penetration testing module has an associated probability of success, requirements, and an expected value for the variable to be optimized, and a goal of the penetration test; producing, with a computer-based processor, a probabilistic plan, an estimated probability of success for the probabilistic plan, and an expected value for the variable, based on the received information; determining, with the computer-based processor, an attack plan for the penetration test based on the probabilistic plan, the probability of success for the probabilistic plan and the expected value for the variable, wherein the probabilistic plan, the estimated probability of success, and the expected value for the variable are produced without reference to a particular event that already has occurred in the target network.