AUTOMATED PENETRATION ANALYSIS SYSTEM AND METHOD

The present invention provides a penetration-analysis method, which (1) provides a systematic approach to penetration analysis, (2) enables the verification of penetration-resistance properties, and (3) is amenable to automation. An Automated Penetration Analysis (APA) tool is provided, to support the penetration analysis method. The penetration-analysis system and method is based on a theory of penetration-resistant computer systems, a model of penetration analysis, and a unified representation of penetration patterns. The theory consists of the Hypothesis of Penetration-Resistant Systems and a set of design properties that characterize resistance to penetration. The penetration-analysis model defines a set of states, a state-invariant for penetration resistance, and a set of rules that can be applied for analyzing the penetration vulnerability of a system. An interpretation of the Hypothesis of Penetration-Resistant Systems within a given system provides the Hypothesis of Penetration Patterns, which enables the present invention to define a unified representation for a large set of penetration instances as missing check patterns.