Ensuring security in depth based on heterogeneous network security technologies

Abstract

With the explosive growth of Internet connectivity that includes not only end-hosts but also pervasive devices, security becomes a requirement for enterprises. Although a significant effort has been made by the research community to develop defense techniques against security attacks, less focus has been given to manage security configuration efficiently. Network security devices, such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, honeypot as well as vulnerability scanner, operate as a stand-alone system for solving a particular security problem. Yet these devices are not necessarily independent. The focus of this work is encompassing a security infrastructure where multiple security devices form a global security layer. Each component is defined with respect to the others and interacts dynamically and automatically with the different security devices in order to choose the best solution to be launched to prevent the final malicious objective. Our solution aims at solving, at the same time, the need for active defence, speed, reliability, accuracy and usability of the network.