An XML‐based architecture for data integration in vulnerability assessments

Abstract

Purpose

One of the problems facing systems administrators and security auditors is that a security test/audit can generate a vast quantity of information that needs to be stored, analysed and cross referenced for later use. The current state‐of‐the‐art in security audit tools does not allow for information from multiple different tools to be shared and integrated. This paper aims to develop an Extensible Markup Language (XML)‐based architecture that is capable of encoding information from a variety of disparate heterogeneous sources and then unifying and integrating them into a single SQL database schema.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper demonstrates how, through the application of the architecture, large quantities of security related information can be captured within a single database schema. This database can then be used to ensure that systems are conforming to an organisation's network security policy.

Findings

This type of data integration and data unification within a vulnerability assessment/security audit is currently not possible; this leads to confusion and omissions in the security audit process.

Originality/value

This paper develops a data integration and unification architecture that will allow data from multiple vulnerability assessment tools to be integrated into a single unified picture of the security state of a network of interconnected computer systems.

Citation

Blyth, A. and Thomas, P. (2005), "An XML‐based architecture for data integration in vulnerability assessments", Information Management & Computer Security, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 260-273. https://doi.org/10.1108/09685220510614399