The use of different network security components, such as firewalls and network intrusion detection systems (NIDSs), is the dominant method to monitor and guarantee the security policy in current corporate networks. To properly configure these components, it is necessary to use several sets of security rules. Nevertheless, the existence of anomalies between those rules, particularly in distributed multi-component scenarios, is very likely to degrade the network security policy. The discovery and removal of these anomalies is a serious and complex problem to solve. In this paper, we present a complete set of mechanisms for such a management.Keywords Network Security · Firewalls · Intrusion Detection Systems · Policy Anomalies IntroductionGenerally, once a security administrator has specified a security policy, he or she aims to enforce it in the information system to be protected. This enforcement consists in distributing the security rules expressed in this policy over different security components of the information system -such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDSs), intrusion prevention systems (IPSs), proxies, etc. -both at application, system, and network level. This implies cohesion of the security functions supplied by these components. In other words, security rules deployed over the different components must be consistent, not redundant and, as far as possible, optimal.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract