Malicious data access as highlighted graph visualization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12326931-B2
Application number	US-202117362700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2021
Priority date	Jun 29, 2021
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

One example method includes monitoring a data access pattern, registering a data access request directed to data, comparing metadata associated with the data access request to a rule, based on a result of the comparing, sending a trigger to a graph service, and using information in the trigger to generate a visual representation of the data access request, wherein the visual representation indicates an extent to which the data access request is considered to constitute a potential threat to the data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
monitoring a data access pattern;
registering a data access request that comprises a data access attempt directed to data of a data asset;
generating metadata and an annotation to predict importance, relevance and sensitivity of the data asset relative to the data access request;
comparing the metadata associated with the data access request to a rule;
based on a result of the comparing, sending a trigger to a graph service, wherein the trigger is based on the data access request in combination with another data access request that also concerns the data; and
generating a visual representation of the data access request based in part on information in the trigger, user metadata, group metadata, and asset metadata,
wherein the visual representation indicates an extent to which the data access request is considered to constitute a potential threat to the data,
wherein the visual representation comprises a graph in which data assets and users are denoted by respective nodes,
wherein data access attempts by one or more of the users directed to one or more of the data assets are denoted by respective edges connecting the nodes and the one or more data assets,
wherein each data asset is individually identified by a globally unique identification in the visual representation,
wherein the metadata includes information comprising a file type, a file location, a file size, and a file owner of each data asset, and the annotation includes flags that indicate a type of data found,
wherein edges denoting successful data access attempts are denoted by a first type of visual representation, and
wherein edges denoting risky data access attempts are denoted by a second type of visual representation that is visually distinguishable from the first type of visual representation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the monitoring and the sending are performed by a malicious behavior service.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein generation of the visual representation of the data access request is performed by the graph service.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metadata comprises metadata of a user who originated the data access request.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user metadata is associated with a user who made the data access request, the group metadata is associated with a group to which the user belongs, and the data asset metadata is associated with the data with which the data access request is concerned.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the another data access request is made by a same user that made the data access request or is made by a different user than the user that made the data access request.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein, in the visual representation, a data access request that is considered a potential threat to the data is visually distinguishable from another data access request that is not considered to be a potential threat to the data.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising taking an action regarding the data based on information presented in the visual representation.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that are executable by one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:
monitoring a data access pattern;
registering a data access request that comprises a data access attempt directed to data of a data asset;
generating metadata and an annotation to predict importance, relevance and sensitivity of the data asset relative to the data access request;
comparing the metadata associated with the data access request to a rule;
based on a result of the comparing, sending a trigger to a graph service, wherein the trigger is based on the data access request in combination with another data access request that also concerns the data; and
generating a visual representation of the data access request based in part on information in the trigger, user metadata, group metadata, and asset metadata, wherein the visual representation indicates an extent to which the data access request is considered to constitute a potential threat to the data,
wherein the visual representation comprises a graph in which data assets and users are denoted by respective nodes,
wherein data access attempts by one or more of the users directed to one or more of the data assets are denoted by respective edges connecting the nodes and the one or more data assets,
wherein each data asset is individually identified by a globally unique identification in the visual representation,
wherein the metadata includes information comprising a file type, a file location, a file size, and a file owner of each data asset, and the annotation includes flags that indicate a type of data found,
wherein edges denoting successful data access attempts are denoted by a first type of visual representation, and
wherein edges denoting risky data access attempts are denoted by a second type of visual representation that is visually distinguishable from the first type of visual representation.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 9 , wherein the monitoring and the sending are performed by a malicious behavior service.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 9 , wherein generation of the visual representation of the data access request is performed by the graph service.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 9 , wherein the metadata comprises metadata of a user who originated the data access request.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 9 , wherein the user metadata is associated with a user who made the data access request, the group metadata is associated with a group to which the user belongs, and the data asset metadata is associated with the data with which the data access request is concerned.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 9 , wherein the another data access request is made by a same user that made the data access request or is made by a different user than the user that made the data access request.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 9 , wherein, in the visual representation, a data access request that is considered a potential threat to the data is visually distinguishable from another data access request that is not considered to be a potential threat to the data.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 9 , further comprising taking an action regarding the data based on information presented in the visual representation.

Assignees

• Emc Ip Holding Co Llc

Inventors

• El Rouby Ahmad Refaat Abdel Fadeel Ahmad
• Abdulaal Omar
• Reineke Nicole
• Christner Joel
• Shafik Farida
• Beshara Shary

Classifications

• G06T11/26

  Drawing of charts or graphs · CPC title

• G06F2221/034

  Test or assess a computer or a system · CPC title

• H04L63/102

  Entity profiles · CPC title

• H04L63/1416

  Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection · CPC title

• G06F21/554 Primary

  involving event detection and direct action · CPC title