Fortinet, Inc.

Ihab Khalil

Wei Wang

Michael Xie

Dayong Zhou

Methods and systems are provided for implementing application layer security. According to one embodiment, security rules applicable to end users of a private IP network and particular resources accessible within the network are maintained by a network appliance. A packet originated within the network is received by the network appliance. An application type associated with the packet is determined based on layer 7 information within the packet. Layer 7 information fields are extracted from the packet that are indicative of an identity of an end user associated with the packet. An SSO process is performed including receiving and authenticating credentials of the end user on behalf of multiple resources within the network based on the identity of the end user. One or more security rules are identified and applied to the packet based on the identity of the end user and the determined application type.

Application layer-based single sign on

Methods and systems are provided for implementing application layer security. According to one embodiment, an application layer packet is received by a network appliance and one or more information fields, selected based on an application type associated with the packet, are used to identify an associated end user. Then, security rules that match the traffic pattern, traffic content and identified end user can be applied to the packet. Identification of end users based on application layer information allows different security rules to be implemented for end users or groups thereof. Application of security rules based on identification of an end user based on application layer information can also facilitate implementation of an application-layer-based single sign-on (SSO) process.

Methods and systems for improved attack context data logging are provided. According to one embodiment, prior to a logging event being triggered (i) it is determined by a network security device whether a received packet is potentially associated with a threat or undesired activity by analyzing the packet; (ii) when the determination is negative, the packet is stored within a circular buffer; and (iii) when the determination is affirmative, (a) the logging event is triggered, (b) pre-attack context information regarding the threat is captured by extracting information from packets within the circular buffer and (c) the pre-attack context information is stored within a log. After the logging event has been triggered and until information regarding a predefined quantity of packets has been logged, post-attack context information regarding the threat is captured by extracting information from subsequently received packets and the post-attack context information is stored within the log.

Logging attack context data

Methods and systems for improved attack context data logging are provided. According to one embodiment, configuration information is received from an administrator of a network security device. The configuration information includes information indicative of a quantity of packets to be captured for post attack analysis. Responsive to receipt of the configuration information, a size of a circular buffer is configured based thereon. Multiple packets directed to a network protected by the network security device are received from an external network. The received packets are temporarily buffered within the circular buffer. An analysis is performed to determine whether one of the received packets is potentially associated with a threat or undesired activity ('trigger packet'). Responsive to an affirmative determination, contextual information is captured by extracting information regarding at least a portion of the configured quantity of packets from the circular buffer and storing the contextual information within a log.

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Coquitlam, Canada

Ihab Khalil