BACKGROUND

Modern hardware components include or are connected to a variety of memory-based components that store information usable during operating of the hardware components. For example, a motherboard of a network switch may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which stores network workloads and data packets. The motherboard may also include other types of memory such as an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), which may store firmware for the motherboard, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), which may store power management logic, and the like.

Some of the memory-based components may be known to store sensitive user information, critical configuration settings, and secrets that allow remote management of device or systems (e.g., passwords, authentication keys, etc.). In one example, a flash memory may store user applications and metadata related to the operation of the user applications. These components, though not directly storing user information, may store information that could be used to compromise the security of computing system and thereby fraudulently access the user information. In another example, a CPU of the network switch may store Internet Protocol (IP) frames transmitted over the wire to non-volatile memory for further analysis and/or debugging (e.g., referred to as packet mirroring).

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure include a method for tracing memory components in asset management systems. The method comprises: receiving, by an computing device, an indication that a new device has been connected to a network; transmitting, to the new device, a memory identification command; receiving, from the new device, a first set of memory specifications, each memory specification of the first set of memory specifications identifying a component of the new device configured to store data; receiving, from a remote computing device, a second set of memory specifications, each memory specification of the second set of memory specifications identifying a component of the new device configured to store data; generating, based on a comparison of the first set of memory specifications to the second set of memory specifications, a memory-asset data structure that stores a third set of memory specifications, each memory specification of the third set of memory specifications being a memory specification that is in both the first set of memory specifications and the second set of memory specifications; assigning, to each of one or more memory specifications of the third set of memory specifications, a data privacy level that is based on a sensitivity of data stored in the component of the new device identified by the memory specification; and transmitting the memory-asset data structure.

Another aspect of the present disclosure comprises a system comprising one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable media that includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the methods described above

Another aspect of the present disclosure comprises a non-transitory computer-readable media that includes instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the methods described above.

These illustrative embodiments are mentioned not to limit or define the disclosure, but to provide examples to aid understanding thereof. Additional embodiments are discussed in the Detailed Description, and further description is provided there.

