Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to the field of automated network security.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Network security devices provide various types of network security services to a network, such as a local area network connected to the Internet. For example, a network security device may perform access control and traffic monitoring and logging. Access control refers to the regulation of network traffic based upon its type, content, source, and/or destination. For example, access control services of a network security device can be employed to prevent email traffic from sources on the Internet from reaching computer systems inside the network other than a designated mail host computer system. Traffic monitoring and logging refers to observing network traffic, and storing important observations about the network traffic in a log. As an example, traffic monitoring and logging services of a network security device can be employed to log all unsuccessful attempts from sources on the Internet to access a server in the network containing sensitive information.  
         [0003]     Unfortunately, in order to perform such functions, conventional network security devices generally must be configured manually, typically on-site at the location of the network. Such configuration can be extremely time-consuming. Also, because of the nature of typical configuration processes, they generally must be performed by a technical specialist whose time is both scarce and expensive. It is especially important that the configuration process be performed correctly, since misconfiguration of a security device often leaves the network that is to be protected by the security device vulnerable to attack or other abuse.  
         [0004]     These shortcomings of conventional network security device configuration processes tend to make the installation and use of a network security device difficult and/or expensive. Accordingly, a streamlined, more highly automated configuration process that is capable of correctly configuring network security devices would make the proper use of such network security devices more accessible, and would therefore have significant utility.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a software facility for implementing similar network security policies across multiple networks (“the facility”). Each network is a collection of network elements, including a network security device that protects the network by implementing a network security policy (hereinafter simply “policy”) within the network. While Firebox II network security devices provided by WatchGuard Technologies, Inc., of Seattle, Wash. are suggested for use with the facility, the facility preferably also operates with other network security devices available from other sources.  
         [0006]     The policy implemented in a particular network comprises a set of rules for managing network traffic. These rules are specified in terms of specific network elements, such as user workstations, servers, routers, and printers, that perform certain functions, or “roles.” For example, a rule in a network security policy for a particular network may specify that all email traffic must flow through a network element having a particular network address that is specifically configured as a mail host. In a sense, these rules establish trust relationships between specific network elements, or groups thereof.  
         [0007]     The facility preferably provides a user interface for constructing one or more network security policy templates (hereinafter simply “templates”) that can each be used to generate similar policies for any number of specific networks. A template contains rules expressed in terms of “aliases,” rather than in terms of specific network elements. For example, a template may include a rule specifying that all email traffic must flow through a “MailHost” alias that is not associated with a particular network address.  
         [0008]     To generate a policy for a particular network from a template, the facility uses a profile of the network that maps the aliases occurring in the template to specific network elements within the network. For example, the network profile for a particular network maps the “MailHost” alias to a particular network element of the network having a particular network address. The facility preferably provides a user interface that makes it convenient for a user to generate network profiles.  
         [0009]     The facility uses the profile for the network to replace occurrences of aliases in the template with the addresses of the corresponding specific network elements. The facility preferably sends the resulting network-specific policy to the network security device of the network for implementation. In certain embodiments, the policy may be further modified before transmission to the networks security device.  
         [0010]     This process can be repeated to generate policies for each of a number of other networks. At a later time, the underlying template can be revised to add or change rules. Together with the network profiles, this revised template can be used to automatically generate revised policies corresponding to the revised template for all of the networks.  
         [0011]     The facility is especially well suited for use by Internet service providers and other organizations responsible for providing network security to a large number of networks, as it enables these organizations to configure the network security devices for additional networks at a very low cost. The facility also enables such organizations to efficiently update the configuration of a large number of operating network security devices by merely modifying and reapplying one or more templates. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a conceptual diagram illustrating the generation of security policies for each of several networks from a single security policy template.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a conceptual diagram illustrating the creation of a security policy in greater detail.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a network diagram showing a sample network for which the facility generates a policy.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a high-level block diagram of a computing environment in which the facility may be implemented.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a high-level block diagram of the policy manager computer system upon which portions of the facility preferably execute.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram showing, at a high level, the steps preferably performed by the facility in order to generate and implement network security policies for a number of protected networks.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a display diagram showing the creation of a template.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a display diagram showing the naming of a new template.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a display diagram showing the policy manager user interface.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a display diagram showing the user interface for adding rules to the template.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a display diagram showing the user interface for specifying rules relating to the FTP network service.  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a display diagram showing a modification made by the user to allow certain outgoing FTP connections.  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a display diagram showing the user interface for adding aliases to the source or destination list for a network service.  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a display diagram showing the addition of a new alias to the alias list.  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a display diagram showing the effect of modifying security rules regarding outgoing FTP connections.  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a display diagram showing a depiction of the completed “minimal” template.  
         [0028]      FIG. 16  is a display diagram showing a list of several generated templates.  
         [0029]      FIG. 17  is a display diagram showing a user interface for configuring a new network security device.  
         [0030]      FIG. 18  is a display diagram showing the selection of a template for configuring the new network security device.  
         [0031]      FIG. 19  is a display diagram showing the user interface for generating a network profile for the new network.  
         [0032]      FIG. 20  is a display diagram showing the user interface for defining a first alias within the network profile.  
         [0033]      FIG. 21  is a display diagram showing the user interface for defining a second alias within the network profile.  
         [0034]      FIG. 22  is a display diagram showing a user interface for adding additional services and rules to the policy generated for the network from the template. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0035]     The present invention provides a software facility for implementing similar network security policies across multiple networks (“the facility”). Each network is a collection of network elements, including a network security device that protects the network by implementing a network security policy (hereinafter simply “policy”) within the network. While Firebox II network security devices provided by WatchGuard Technologies, Inc., of Seattle, Wash. are suggested for use with the facility, the facility preferably also operates with other network security devices available from other sources.  
         [0036]     The policy implemented in a particular network comprises a set of rules for managing network traffic. These rules are specified in terms of specific network elements, such as user workstations, servers, routers, and printers, that perform certain functions, or “roles.” For example, a rule in a network security policy for a particular network may specify that all email traffic must flow through a network element having a particular network address that is specifically configured as a mail host. In a sense, these rules establish trust relationships between specific network elements, or groups thereof.  
         [0037]     The facility preferably provides a user interface for constructing one or more network security policy templates (hereinafter simply “templates”) that can each be used to generate similar policies for any number of specific networks. A template contains rules expressed in terms of “aliases,” rather than in terms of specific network elements. For example, a template may include a rule specifying that all email traffic must flow through a “MailHost” alias that is not associated with a particular network address.  
         [0038]     To generate a policy for a particular network from a template, the facility uses a profile of the network that maps the aliases occurring in the template to specific network elements within the network. For example, the network profile for a particular network maps the “MailHost” alias to a particular network element of the network having a particular network address. The facility preferably provides a user interface that makes it convenient for a user to generate network profiles.  
         [0039]     The facility uses the profile for the network to replace occurrences of aliases in the template with the addresses of the corresponding specific network elements. The facility preferably sends the resulting network-specific policy to the network security device of the network for implementation. In certain embodiments, the policy may be further modified before transmission to the networks security device.  
         [0040]     This process can be repeated to generate policies for each of a number of other networks. At a later time, the underlying template can be revised to add or change rules. Together with the network profiles, this revised template can be used to automatically generate revised policies corresponding to the revised template for all of the networks.  
         [0041]     The facility is especially well suited for use by Internet service providers and other organizations responsible for providing network security to a large number of networks, as it enables these organizations to configure the network security devices for additional networks at a very low cost. The facility also enables such organizations to efficiently update the configuration of a large number of operating network security devices by merely modifying and reapplying one or more templates.  
         [0042]      FIG. 1A  is a conceptual diagram illustrating the generation of security policies for each of several networks from a single security policy template. Using the facility, the user generates a security template  100 . Then, for each of a number of different networks  115 ,  125 ,  135 , etc., the user uses the facility to generate a network profile specifically for implementation in the network. These network profiles are shown as network profiles  110 ,  120 ,  130 , etc. In order to generate the security policy for each network, the facility combines the security policy template with the network profile for that network. For example, in order to create security policy  115  for network  1 , the facility combines the security policy template  100  with network profile  110  for network  1 .  
         [0043]      FIG. 1B  is a conceptual diagram illustrating the creation of a security policy in greater detail. In particular,  FIG. 1B  shows the creation of security policy  115  for network  1  shown in  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 1B  shows that the security policy template  100  contains a number of security policy rules, including security policy rule  101 . Security policy rule  101  specifies that outgoing FTP connections are allowed only from network elements defined as being within the “InformationServices” alias. While only one security policy rule is shown in security policy template  100  to simplify this example, security policy templates often have a larger number of security policy rules.  
         [0044]     The network profile  110  for network  1  contains a definition of the “InformationServices” alias  111 . It can be seen that this definition defines the “InformationServices” alias to include the network elements at the following IP addresses: 
        20 220.15.23.52     220.15.23.53     220.15.23.97 
 
 In general, a network profile contains an alias definition like alias definition  111  for each alias used in the security policy template. 
       
 
         [0049]     When the security -policy template  100  and the network profile  110  for network  1  are combined to create the security policy  115  for network  1 , the facility replaces the “InfornationServices” alias in rule  101  with the network addresses listed for the “InformationServices” alias in definition  111 . Doing so produces rule  116  in the security policy  115  for network  1 , which indicates that outgoing FTP connections are allowed only from the network elements having IP addresses 220.15.23.52, 220.15.23.53, and 220.15.23.97. In the same manner, for each additional rule in security policy template  100 , the facility replaces each occurrence of an alias with the network addresses of the network elements defined to be within the alias in the network profile  110  for network  1 . As a result, the rules in security policy  115  for network  1 , which are to be implemented in network  1 , specifically refer to network elements within network  1 . In this sense, they differ from the rules in security policies  125  and  135 , which specifically refer to network elements within networks  2  and  3 , respectively.  
         [0050]      FIG. 2  is a network diagram showing a sample network for which the facility generates a policy. The network is described relative to a network security device  200 . The network security device  200  has three interfaces, through which the network security device is connected to three different “zones”: a trusted zone  210 , an optional zone  220 , and an external zone  230 . The trusted zone  210  contains the elements of the network that, in general, receive the most extensive protection from the network security device. The trusted zone contains such network elements as user workstations  111 - 114 , and internal server  215 , and a log host  216 . Each of the network elements in the trusted zone is preferably identified by a unique address, such as an Ethernet address or an IP address. The external zone  230  is considered to include the entirety of the Internet  231 , as well as any intermediate network elements, such as intermediate network element  232 . In general, network elements in the external zone are not within the control of the operator of the network. Optional zone  220  includes network elements operated by the operators of the network that must be available, at least in certain respects, to network elements of the Internet. An example of such an element is public server  221 , which may provide services such as world wide web serving, email serving, file transfer serving, and domain name serving. The rules in the policy implemented by the network security device  200  relate to traffic flowing between network elements in the three zones shown.  
         [0051]      FIG. 3  is a high-level block diagram of a computing environment in which the facility may be implemented. The diagram shows network security devices  331 - 339 , each protecting a customer network such as the network shown in  FIG. 2 . These network security devices are operated for the users of these customer networks by a policy manager  310 , such as an Internet service provider. The policy manager  310  preferably administers the network security devices via intermediary elements  321 - 323 , called “event processors.” It should be noted that, while only nine protected networks are shown in  FIG. 3 , a global policy manager utilizing the facility may easily configure and administer tens, hundreds, or even thousands of network security devices at a reasonable cost. For additional information on the environment shown in  FIG. 3 , refer to U.S. patent application No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 850108.402) entitled “Managing Multiple Network Security Devices From A Manager Device,” filed concurrently herewith and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
         [0052]      FIG. 4  is a high-level block diagram of the policy manager computer system upon which portions of the facility preferably execute. The policy manager computer system  400  contains one or more central processing units (CPUs)  410 , input/output devices  420 , and a computer memory (memory)  430 . Among the input/output devices is a storage device  421 , such as a hard disk drive, and a computer-readable media drive  422 , which can be used to install software products, including components of the facility, which are provided on a computer-readable medium, such as a CD-ROM. The input/output devices also include a network connection  423 , through which the policy manager computer system  400  may communicate with other connected computer systems, such as network security devices. The memory  430  preferably contains an operating system  431 , such as MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT or SUN SOLARIS, for providing to other programs access to resources of the computer system. The memory  430  preferably further contains policy manager software  432 , which implements aspects of the facility. The memory  430  preferably also contains policy templates  433  and  434  generated with the facility, as well as network profiles  435  and  436  generated by the facility. While the facility is preferably implemented on a computer system configured as described above, those skilled in the art will recognize that it may also be implemented on computer systems having different configurations.  
         [0053]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram showing, at a high level, the steps preferably performed by the facility in order to generate and implement network security policies for a number of protected networks. In step  501 , the facility constructs a template based upon aliases for certain network elements. The template constructed in step  501  is expressed in terms of rules for network elements rather than in terms of rules for specific network elements of a particular network, and thus may be applied to a number of different networks. In steps  502 - 506 , the facility loops through each of a number of particular networks. In step  503 , the facility establishes a network profile mapping the network element aliases used in the template constructed in step  501  to network elements of the current network acting in the roles of the aliases. In step  504 , the facility generates a network security policy for the current network using the template generated in step  501  and the network profile generated for the current network in step  503 . In step  505 , the facility transmits the generated network security policy to the network security device for the current network to enable the network security device to enforce the network security policy within the network. In step  406  if additional networks remain, then the facility continues to step  502  to process the next network, else the steps conclude.  
         [0054]     In order to further describe the facility, its operation is discussed below with respect to an example depicted in  FIGS. 6-22 . The example shows the generation of templates, network profiles, and ultimately policies.  
         [0055]      FIGS. 6-16  show the generation of templates.  FIG. 6  is a display diagram showing the creation of a template. The facility displays a window  600  containing a list  610  of objects that can be created. In this window, the user selects item  611  and OK button  620  in order to create a new template.  
         [0056]      FIG. 7  is a display diagram showing the naming of a new template. The facility displays window  700  which contains a name field  701 . The user types the name “minimal” in the name field  701  and selects OK button  720  in order to name the new template “minimal.” 
         [0057]      FIG. 8  is a display diagram showing the policy manager user interface. The facility displays a policy manager window  800 , which contains a template window  810  corresponding to the new “minimal” template. In order to add rules to the “minimal” template, the user selects add button  811 .  
         [0058]      FIG. 9  is a display diagram showing the user interface for adding rules to the template. The facility displays window  900 , which contains a list  910  of network services each corresponding to one or more potential network security rules. Among these services are services  911 - 919 . The user may select any of the listed services, or may select new button  920  in order to create a new service. In this case, the user has selected the FTP service  912 . Once a service is selected, details  930  about the service are displayed in the window  900 . For example, as the FTP service  912  was selected, the displayed details  930  refer to the FTP service. In order to add rules corresponding to the FTP service to the rules of the “minimal” template, the user selects an Add button  940 .  
         [0059]      FIG. 10  is a display diagram showing the user interface for specifying rules relating to the FTP network service. The facility displays window  1000 , which contains tabs  1001  and  1002 , each having a pane for specifying rules relating to the FTP network service. In  FIG. 10 , the “outgoing” tab  1002  is selected in order to display the pane relating to outgoing traffic. The window  1000  further includes radio buttons  1011  and  1012  for denying or allowing outgoing FTP connections, respectively. In  FIG. 10 , radio button  1011  is selected, so that all outgoing FTP connections are denied.  
         [0060]      FIG. 11  is a display diagram showing a modification made by the user to allow certain outgoing FTP connections. In  FIG. 11  it can be seen that the user has selected radio button  1112  in order to allow certain outgoing FTP connections. The contents of lists  1121  and  1122  show that outgoing FTP connections are allowed from any source to any destination. In order to specify particular sources or destinations from or to which FTP requests are allowed, the user may select add button  1131  or  1132 , respectively.  
         [0061]      FIG. 12  is a display diagram showing the user interface for adding aliases to the source or destination list for outgoing FTP connections. The facility displays window  1200 , containing an empty list  1203  of aliases to permit as sources of outgoing FTP connections. Window  1200  provides two methods for adding aliases to list  1203 . The first is to select one of the existing aliases  1211 - 1214 , then press Transfer button  1215  to transfer the selected aliases into aliases list  1203 . The second method is to type the name of a new alias in new alias field  1201 , then select Add button  1202  in order to transfer the new alias name into alias list  1203 . In  FIG. 12 , the user uses the second method in order to add the alias “InformationServices” to the alias list  1203 .  
         [0062]      FIG. 13  is a display diagram showing the addition of a new alias to the alias list. It can be seen in  FIG. 13  that a new “InformationServices” alias has been added to alias list  1303 . At this point, the user selects Okay button  1305  in order to add the aliases listed in alias list  1303  to the list of aliases that may be the source of outgoing FTP connections.  
         [0063]      FIG. 14  is a display diagram showing the effect of modifying security rules regarding outgoing FTP connections. It can be seen that the “InformationServices” alias  1423  has been added to the list  1421  from the list of aliases from which outgoing FTP connections are allowed. At this point, the user can select the incoming tab  1401  in order to modify rules for incoming FTP connections. The user may also select Okay button  1424  in order to return to the add service window  900  to add additional network services to the template and modify the rules relating to them.  
         [0064]      FIG. 15  is a display diagram showing a depiction of the completed “minimal” template. The policy window  1510  contains a rules table  1530  showing information relating to network security rules making up the template, as well as aliases window  1520  listing the aliases occurring in the rules. Each row of the table  1530  includes an entry in each of a number of columns: a service column  1531  identifying a network service to which the row corresponds; an incoming sources column  1532  identifying sources from which incoming traffic for the service is permitted; an incoming destinations column  1533  identifying destinations to which incoming traffic of the service is permitted; an incoming allowed traffic log column  1534  indicating whether allowed incoming traffic of the service is to be logged; an incoming denied traffic log column  1535  indicating whether denied incoming traffic for the service is to be logged; outgoing traffic source column  1536  identifying sources from which outgoing traffic for the service is permitted; outgoing traffic destination column  1537  identifying destinations to which outgoing traffic for the service is permitted; an allowed outgoing traffic log column  1538  indicating whether allowed outgoing traffic is to be logged; and denied outgoing traffic log column  1539  indicating whether outgoing denied traffic for the service is to be logged. The icons preceding the service name in column  1531  further indicate the extent to which incoming and outgoing traffic is allowed at all for the service in question. The aliases list  1520  lists an “InformationServices” alias  1521  for the computers of members of the information services department; an “InternalWebServer” alias  1522  for the internal web server computer system; and a “MailHost” alias  1523  for the mail host computer system. Occurrences of these aliases can be seen in the table  1530 .  
         [0065]     The table  1530  represents the substance of the “minimal” template. In a sense, the table constitutes a data structure storing this template. Those skilled in the art will recognize that such a template may be stored in data structures having a variety of different formats.  
         [0066]     Now that the “minimal” template is complete, it can be used by the facility to generate policies for particular networks. As part of the example, the user repeats the template generation process to generate two additional templates.  
         [0067]      FIG. 16  is a display diagram showing a list of several generated templates. Policy manager window  1600  contains a template list  1650 . Included in the template list are the “minimal” template  1651  generated as shown in  FIGS. 6-15 , as well as additional “typical” and “full” templates  1652  and  1653  that were generated in the similar manner. Each of the templates is preferably designed to correspond to a different set of security services provided by the operators of the policy manager. When a new network must be protected by a network security device, the network security device may be configured using any of the existing templates.  FIGS. 17-22  show the configuration of a new network security device.  
         [0068]      FIG. 17  is a display diagram showing a user interface for configuring a new network security device. The facility display window  1700 , which contains a list  1710  of items to create. The user here selects network security device configuration item  1712  and then selects Okay button  1720 .  
         [0069]      FIG. 18  is a display diagram showing the selection of a template for configuring the new network security device. The facility displays window  1800 , which contains a list of the three templates  1831 - 1833 . The user selects the “minimal” template  1832 , then selects Open button  1820 . Alternatively, the user could select one of the three templates from the template list  1650  in the policy manager window  1600 .  
         [0070]      FIG. 19  is a display diagram showing the user interface for generating a network profile for the new network. It can be seen that, in addition to service table  1930  and alias list  1920 , the network security device configuration window  1960  also includes an Edit button  1924  for mapping the aliases in the alias list to specific network elements within the network protected by the new network security device. In order to do so, the user selects each of the aliases  1921 - 1923  in turn, selecting the Edit button  1924  to define each.  
         [0071]      FIG. 20  is a display diagram showing the user interface for defining a first alias within the network profile. When the user selects the “InformationServices” alias  1921 , then the Edit button  1924 , the facility displays window  2000 . Window  2000  contains a list  2010  of addresses for each of the network elements defined for the “InformationServices” alias. Here, the user has entered three addresses  2015 - 2017 . In this case, these addresses are those of the computer systems by members of the Information Services department of the company using the protected network. After entering these addresses, the user selects Okay button  2020 .  
         [0072]      FIG. 21  is a display diagram showing the user interface for defining a second alias within the network profile. In this case, the user has entered a single address  2115  for the “InternalWebServer” alias. This address is the address of the internal web server computer system within the protected network. In order to finalize this list, the user presses Okay button  2120 .  
         [0073]     After the user defines addresses for each of the aliases in alias list  1920 , the user has generated a network profile. The facility preferably proceeds to combine this network profile with the “minimal” template to create a policy for the new network, which it forwards to the network security device in the new network to configure the network security device to implement the policy in the protected network.  
         [0074]      FIG. 22  is a display diagram showing a user interface for adding additional services and rules to the policy generated for the network from the template. It can be seen that, in addition to table  2230  which contains rules defined within the template, the policy window  2260  further contains table  2270 , which contains “supplemental” rules included in the policy that are entered separately from the selected template. In order to add rules to this table and modify or remove rules from this table, the user uses controls  2271 - 2273 , and employs a process similar to that described in conjunction with  FIGS. 9-14 . Supplemental rules may preferably be expressed in terms of the addresses of specific network elements, aliases, or both. Once the user has defined supplemental rules in this manner, the policy used by the network security device for the network constitutes a union of the rules shown in windows  2230  and  2270 .  
         [0075]     While this invention has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the facility may be straightforwardly adapted to work with other types of security devices in addition to those described herein. Further, the facility may be adapted to use various other user interface techniques and data structures in addition to those described herein. Also, the facility may be straightforwardly adapted to operate in a variety of different types of networking environments.

Technology Category: y