A method and data processing system assesses the security vulnerability of
a network by creating a system object model database representing a
network. The system object model database supports the information data
requirements of disparate network vulnerability analysis programs. The
system object model database is exported to the disparate network
vulnerability analysis programs. The network is analyzed with each
network vulnerability analysis program to produce data results from each
program. Data results are correlated to determine the security posture of
the network.