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MicrosoftPatent applicationSecurity & privacyInterest 5/10

Microsoft patents graph method to predict which servers get hacked

Microsoft describes a technique that maps a company's computers and connections into a network diagram called a graph. By simulating random paths through this diagram, the system identifies which specific computers are most likely to be compromised during a cyberattack.

Why it mattersThis approach helps security teams focus their defenses on the most vulnerable parts of a network before an attack actually happens.

In the filing’s own words

Disclosed are techniques for determining the probability that a computing resource will be compromised during a cyberattack. In some configurations, a collection of computing resources is modeled with a resource graph. Computing resources are represented by nodes while connections between computing resources are represented by edges. Random walks are performed through the resource graph. Different random walk algorithms may be applied to identify different properties of the resource graph. For example, nodes that are visited frequently by the random walks may correspond to computing resources that are likely to be compromised during a cyberattack. Various security operations may be performed in response to determining that a computing resource is likely to be compromised, including increased security measures, introduction of honeypots or honeytokens, sending or prioritizing security alerts, etc.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method comprising: receiving a resource graph comprising a plurality of nodes that represent a plurality of computing resources and a plurality of edges that represent a plurality of connections between the plurality of computing resources; extracting a subgraph of the resource graph; performing a plurality of random walks of the subgraph; computing a visit count of a subgraph node of the subgraph caused by the plurality of random walks; determining that the visit count of the subgraph node exceeds a visit count threshold; and performing a security operation on a computing resource represented by the subgraph node.

Facts

Company
Microsoft (MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC)
Official title
CENTRAL NODES DISCOVERY IN SECURITY KNOWLEDGE GRAPHS
Publication number
US20260259992A1
Application number
19067731
Filed
Feb 28, 2025
Published
Sep 3, 2026
Inventors
6
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 21/577 Physics & computingG06F 2221/034 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.