Method for automatic intrusion detection and deflection in a network

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is of a method and a system for providing security to a network by at least identifying an un authorized user who is attempting to gain access to a node on the network, and preferably by then actively blocking that unauthorized user from further activities.
Detection is facilitated by providing an "mark", or specially crafted false data, which the unauthorized user gathers during the information collection stage performed before an attack.
The information collection stage typically involves a process of probing the network in order to collect information concerning the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the network.
The mark is designed such that any attempt by the unauthorized user to use such false data results in the immediate identification of the unauthorized user as hostile, and indicates that an intrusion of the network is being attempted.
Once the unauthorized user has been identified as hostile, a few possibilities are available.
In an active embodiment of the method of the present invention, further activities by the unauthorized user are proactively handled, preferably by being blocked.
More preferably, traffic from the source controlled by the unauthorized user is diverted to a secure zone of the network, in which the intruder cannot cause actual damage.
The principles and operation of a method and a system according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description, it being understood that these drawings are given for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to be limiting.
Although the following description centers upon a packet-switched network, in which communication is performed and data is transmitted in the form of packets, it is understood that this is for the purposes of description only, and is without any intention of being limiting, as the present invention is also operable with other types of networks.
Referring now to the drawings, FIG