Wireless trust kiosk

• US 20060148450A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lortz, Victor B.
• Application Number:
  US11/026,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20060148450A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In some embodiments, a wireless trust kiosk is presented. In this regard, a trust agent is introduced to receive an out-of-band communication from a known wireless network provider, to use the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network, and to connect to the wireless network if it is provided by the known wireless network provider. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an out-of-band communication from a known wireless network provider;

using the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network; and

connecting to the wireless network if it is provided by the known wireless network provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the out-of-band communication at a kiosk that is not a wireless network access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an out-of-band communication comprises:

receiving a communication selected from the group consisting of a service set identifier (ssid), a shared secret, certificate, and a public key.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the communication for future use.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an out-of-band communication comprises:

receiving a communication from an interface selected from the group consisting of Universal Serial Bus (USB), infrared (IR), smart card, and radio frequency identification (RFID).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network comprises:

determining if a response from a wireless network would indicate the wireless network is provided by the known wireless network provider.

7. An electronic appliance, comprising:

a processor;

a wireless network interface controller; and

a trust engine coupled with the processor and the wireless network interface controller, the trust engine to receive an out-of-band communication at a kiosk from a known wireless network provider, to use the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network, and to connect to the wireless network if it is provided by the known wireless network provider.

8. The electronic appliance of claim 7, further comprising:

the trust engine to authenticate communications from the wireless network.

9. The electronic appliance of claim 7, wherein the out-of-band communication comprises:

a communication from an interface selected from the group consisting of Universal Serial Bus (USB), infrared (IR), smart card, and radio frequency identification (RFID).

10. The electronic appliance of claim 7, wherein the out-of-band communication comprises:

a communication selected from the group consisting of a service set identifier (ssid), a shared secret, certificate, and a public key.

11. A storage medium comprising content which, when executed by an accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to receive an out-of-band communication at a kiosk from a known wireless network provider, to use the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network, and to connect to the wireless network if it is provided by the known wireless network provider.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, further comprising content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to authenticate communications from the wireless network.

13. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the content to receive an out-of-band communication comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to receive a communication from an interface selected from the group consisting of Universal Serial Bus (USB), infrared (IR), smart card, and radio frequency identification (RFID).

14. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the content to receive an out-of-band communication comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to receive a communication selected from the group consisting of a service set identifier (ssid), a shared secret, certificate, and a public key.

15. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the content to use the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to determine if a response from a wireless network would indicate the wireless network is provided by the known wireless network provider.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface;

a memory; and

control logic coupled with the memory and network interface, the control logic to receive an out-of-band communication at a kiosk from a known wireless network provider, to use the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network, and to connect to the wireless network if it is provided by the known wireless network provider.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising control logic to authenticate communications from the wireless network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control logic to receive an out-of-band communication comprises control logic to receive a communication from an interface selected from the group consisting of Universal Serial Bus (USB), infrared (IR), smart card, and radio frequency identification (RFID).

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control logic to receive an out-of-band communication comprises control logic to receive a communication selected from the group consisting of a service set identifier (ssid), a shared secret, certificate, and a public key.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the control logic to use the communication to challenge the identity of a wireless network comprises control logic to determine if a response from a wireless network would indicate the wireless network is provided by the known wireless network provider.