System and method for remotely monitoring wireless networks
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring a wireless network, comprising:
- a security network including a plurality of monitoring devices coupled to a centralized security manager, the security network operable to manage access to a data network associated with a plurality of authorized devices;
wherein each monitoring device comprises;
a packet sniffing module operable to receive packets communicated from one or more wireless device, each packet associated with a communication session; and
a packet routing module operable to communicate one or more of the packets to the centralized security manager; and
wherein the centralized security manager comprises;
a packet collection module operable to receive the one or more packets communicated from each monitoring device;
a packet analysis module operable to;
analyze the one or more packets; and
determine whether a particular communication session is valid based on the analysis of at least one particular packet associated with a particular wireless device; and
an alert module operable to communicate an alert if the particular communication session is not valid.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring a wireless network is provided. The system includes a security network including a plurality of monitoring devices coupled to a centralized security manager. The security network is operable to manage access to a data network associated with a plurality of authorized devices. Each monitoring device is operable to receive packets communicated from one or more wireless device and communicate one or more of the packets to the centralized security manager. Each packet is associated with a communication session. The centralized security manager is operable to receive and analyze the one or more packets communicated from each monitoring device. The centralized security manager is further operable to determine whether a particular communication session is valid based on the analysis of at least one particular packet associated with a particular wireless device, and to communicate an alert if the particular communication session is not valid.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring a wireless network, comprising:
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a security network including a plurality of monitoring devices coupled to a centralized security manager, the security network operable to manage access to a data network associated with a plurality of authorized devices;
wherein each monitoring device comprises;
a packet sniffing module operable to receive packets communicated from one or more wireless device, each packet associated with a communication session; and
a packet routing module operable to communicate one or more of the packets to the centralized security manager; and
wherein the centralized security manager comprises;
a packet collection module operable to receive the one or more packets communicated from each monitoring device;
a packet analysis module operable to;
analyze the one or more packets; and
determine whether a particular communication session is valid based on the analysis of at least one particular packet associated with a particular wireless device; and
an alert module operable to communicate an alert if the particular communication session is not valid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of monitoring a wireless network, comprising:
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receiving one or more packets communicated from a wireless device at one of a plurality of monitoring devices operable to monitor at least a portion of a network associated with a plurality of authorized devices;
wherein the one or more packets are associated with a communication session;
communicating at least one particular packet of the one or more packets to a centralized manager coupled to each of the plurality of monitoring devices;
analyzing the at least one particular packet;
determining whether the communication session is valid based on the analysis of the at least one particular packet; and
communicating an alert if the communication session is not valid. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for monitoring a wireless network, comprising:
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a security network including a plurality of monitoring devices coupled to a centralized security manager, the security network operable to manage access to a data network associated with a plurality of authorized devices;
wherein each monitoring device comprises;
a packet sniffing module operable to receive packets communicated from one or more wireless device; and
a packet routing module operable to communicate one or more of the packets to the centralized security manager; and
wherein the centralized security manager comprises a packet collection module operable to receive the one or more packets communicated from each monitoring device;
a packet analysis module operable to;
analyze the one or more packets; and
determine based on the analysis of at least one particular packet associated with a particular wireless device whether the particular wireless device is one of the plurality of authorized devices; and
an alert module operable to communicate an alert if the particular wireless device is not one of the plurality of authorized devices. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of monitoring a wireless network, comprising:
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receiving one or more packets communicated from a wireless device at one of a plurality of monitoring devices operable to monitor at least a portion of a network comprising a plurality of authorized wireless access points and a plurality of authorized wireless clients;
communicating at least one particular packet of the one or more packets to a centralized manager coupled to each of the plurality of monitoring devices;
analyzing the at least one particular packet;
determining whether the wireless device is one of the plurality of authorized devices based on the analysis of the at least one particular packet; and
communicating an alert if the wireless device is not one of the plurality of authorized devices. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A system for monitoring a wireless network, comprising:
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a security network including a plurality of monitoring devices coupled to a centralized security manager, the security network operable to manage access to a data network associated with a plurality of authorized devices;
wherein each monitoring device comprises;
a packet sniffing module operable to receive packets communicated from one or more wireless device, each packet associated with a communication session;
a packet filtering module operable to select one or more of the received packets to be analyzed;
a packet routing module operable to;
determine whether the selected packets are to be analyzed locally or by the centralized security manager; and
communicate the selected packets to the centralized security manager if it is determined that the selected packets are to be analyzed by the centralized security manager;
a packet analysis module operable to;
analyze the selected packets if it is determined that the selected packets are to be analyzed locally; and
determine whether the communication session is valid based on the analysis of the selected packets; and
wherein the centralized security manager comprises;
a packet collection module operable to receive the selected packets from the monitoring device if it is determined that the selected packets are to be analyzed by the centralized security manager; and
a packet analysis module operable to;
analyze the received selected packets; and
determine whether the communication session is valid based on the analysis of the received selected packets. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of monitoring a wireless network, comprising:
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receiving packets communicated from a wireless device at one of a plurality of monitoring devices, the one or more packets being associated with a communication session;
selecting one or more of the received packets to be analyzed;
determining whether the selected packets are to be analyzed by the monitoring device or by a centralized manager coupled to each of the plurality of monitoring devices;
if it is determined that the selected packets are to be analyzed by the monitoring device;
analyzing the selected packets by the monitoring device; and
determining whether the communication session is valid based on the analysis of the selected packets; and
if it is determined that the selected packets are to be analyzed by the centralized security manager;
communicating the selected packets to the centralized security manager;
analyzing the selected packets by the centralized security manager; and
determining whether the communication session is valid based on the analysis of the received selected packets. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of validating a communications session in a wireless network, comprising:
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receiving one or more packets communicated from a wireless device at a monitoring device operable to monitor at least a portion of a network including a plurality of authorized devices, the one or more packets associated with a communication session;
determining whether the communication session is valid, including;
determining the manufacturer of the wireless device based on the one or more packets;
determining whether the manufacturer of the wireless device matches the manufacturer of at least one of the plurality of authorized wireless clients;
determining whether the wired equivalency privacy (WEP) associated with the wireless device is turned on; and
determining whether the MAC address of the wireless device matches the MAC address of any of the plurality of authorized wireless devices. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. Software for monitoring a wireless network, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:
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receive one or more packets communicated from a wireless device, the one or more packets associated with a communication session;
determine whether the communication session is valid, including;
determining the manufacturer of the wireless device based on the one or more packets;
determining whether the manufacturer of the wireless device matches the manufacturer of at least one of the plurality of authorized wireless clients;
determining whether the wired equivalency privacy (WEP) associated with the wireless device is turned on; and
determining whether the MAC address of the wireless device matches the MAC address of any of the plurality of authorized wireless devices. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. Software for monitoring a wireless network, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:
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receive one or more packets communicated from a wireless device at one of a plurality of monitoring devices operable to monitor at least a portion of a network associated with a plurality of authorized devices;
wherein the one or more packets are associated with a communication session;
communicate at least one particular packet of the one or more packets to a centralized manager coupled to each of the plurality of monitoring devices;
analyze the at least one particular packet;
determine whether the communication session is valid based on the analysis of the at least one particular packet; and
generate an alert if the communication session is not valid. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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Specification