System, method and device for secure wireless communication

• US 20060143693A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Glickman, Claudio
• Granted Patent: US 8,413,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/205 involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/67 Risk-dependent, e.g. selecting a security level depending on risk profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, apparatus and system for selecting a wireless communication device for establishing a connection. The method according to some exemplary embodiments of the invention may include selecting a communication device for establishing a connection by determining whether one or more security-related characteristics of the communication device satisfy a security policy corresponding to a selected security class. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a security class related to at least one of an encryption security level and an authentication security level for establishing secured data transactions over a communication network.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising selecting a communication device for establishing a connection based on said security class by determining whether one or more security-related characteristics of said communication device satisfy a security policy corresponding to said security class.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether said one or more security-related characteristics satisfy said security policy comprises determining whether an encryption algorithm implemented by said communication device satisfies said security policy.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising determining said encryption algorithm by analyzing a beacon received from said communication device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether said one or more security-related characteristics satisfy said security policy comprises determining whether an authentication method implemented by said communication device satisfies said security policy.

6. The method of claim 2 comprising validating an authentication server associated with said communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein validating said authentication server comprises comparing between received identification details of said authentication server and stored server details.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein validating said authentication server comprises comparing between said received identification details and server details of a trusted server list.

9. The method of claim 7 comprising selectively updating said stored details based on predetermined authorization criteria.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting said communication device comprises selecting an access point considered for establishing communication.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a security-class module for determining a security class related to at least one of an encryption security level and an authentication security level for establishing secured data transactions over a communication network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 comprising:

a selector able to select a communication device for establishing a connection based on said security class by determining whether one or more security-related characteristics of said communication device satisfy a security policy corresponding to said security class.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said one or more security-related characteristics comprise one or more security-related characteristics selected from the group consisting of an encryption algorithm implemented by said communication device, and an authentication method implemented by said communication device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a beacon analyzer able to determine said encryption algorithm by analyzing a beacon received from said communication device.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 comprising an authentication module able to validate an authentication server associated with said communication device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said authentication module is able to compare between received identification details of said authentication server and stored server details.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said stored server details comprise server details stored in a trusted server list.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said authentication module is able to selectively update said stored server details based on predetermined authorization criteria.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said communication device comprises an access point considered for establishing communication.

20. A wireless communication device comprising:

an omni-directional antenna able to receive signals from one or more other wireless communication devices; and

a security-class module for determining a security class related to at least one of an encryption security level and an authentication security level for establishing secured data transactions over a communication network

21. The wireless communication device of claim 20 comprising a selector able to select a considered communication device for establshing a connection by determining whether one or more security-related characteristics of said considered communication device satisfy a security policy corresponding to said security class.

22. The wireless communication device of claim 21, wherein said one or more security-related characteristics comprise one or more security-related characteristics selected from the group consisting of an encryption algorithm implemented by said considered communication device, and an authentication method implemented by said considered communication device.

23. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless communication device comprising a security class module for determining a security class related to at least one of an encryption security level and an authentication security level for establishing secured data transactions over a communication network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said wireless communication device comprises a selector able to select a considered communication device for establshing a connection by determining whether one or more security-related characteristics of said considered communication device satisfy a security policy corresponding to said security class.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more security-related characteristics comprise one or more security-related characteristics selected from the group consisting of an encryption algorithm implemented by said considered device, and an authentication method implemented by said considered device.

26. An article comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, result in:

determining a security class related to at least one of an encryption security level and an authentication security level for establishing secured data transactions over a communication network.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein said instructions result in selecting a communication device for establishing a connection based on said security class by determining whether one or more security-related characteristics of said communication device satisfy a security policy corresponding to said security class.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein the instructions resulting in determining whether said one or more security-related characteristics satisfy said security policy comprise instructions resulting in determining whether at least one of an encryption algorithm implemented by said communication device and an authentication method implemented by said communication device satisfies said security policy.