Method and a system for regulating, disrupting and preventing access to the wireless medium

• US 20060165073A1
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airtight Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Airtight Networks Incorporated (Arista Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhagwat, Pravin, Gopinath, K. N.
• Application Number:
  US10/931,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20060165073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A method for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region. The method includes receiving an indication comprising at least identity information. Preferably, the indication is associated with a selected wireless device, which is associated with an undesirable wireless communication within the selected local geographic region. The method includes selecting one or more processes directed to restrict the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication and performing a prioritized access to a wireless medium using at least one of one or more sniffer devices, which are spatially disposed within a vicinity of the selected local geographic region. The method transmits one or more packets from the at least one of one or more sniffer devices. Preferably, the one or more packets are directed to perform said one or more processes to restrict the selected wireless device.

Claims

1. A method for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region, the method comprising:

receiving an indication comprising at least identity information, the indication being associated with a selected wireless device, the selected wireless device being associated with an undesirable wireless communication within the selected local geographic region;

selecting one or more processes directed to restrict the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication;

performing a prioritized access to a wireless medium using at least one of one or more sniffer devices, the one or more sniffer devices being spatially disposed within a vicinity of the selected local geographic region; and

transmitting one or more packets from the at least one of one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform at least one of the one or more processes to restrict the selected wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication is provided per IEEE 802.11 wireless communication standard.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more processes is selected from a forced deauthentication/disassociation process, a virtual jamming process, a selective virtual jamming process, an access point flooding process, an acknowledgement collision process, a beacon disruption process, a link hogging process, and a power save mode disruption process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected wireless device is selected from an unauthorized access point or an unauthorized wireless station.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identity information comprises a MAC address of the selected wireless device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the MAC address indicates a vendor information associated with the selected wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more processes disrupts wireless communication associated with the selected device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more processes blocks wireless communication associated with the selected device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the prioritized access overrules a standard process to obtain access to the wireless medium for packet transmission.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the prioritized access to the wireless medium is provided by one or more processes selected from a smaller slot time, a smaller inter frame spacing (IFS), and a smaller backoff.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting is provided by at least information associated with the one or more processes derived from a library and the identity information associated with the selected wireless device, the library including information associated with a plurality of processes and a plurality of identities of wireless devices.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the information associated with the one or more processes comprises information associated with applicability of the one or more processes to restrict wireless communication associated with the selected wireless device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the information associated with the one or more processes comprises information associated with one or more parameters to be used during application of the one or more processes to restrict wireless communication associated with the selected wireless device.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if the selected wireless device has been restricted from engaging in the wireless communication after the one or more processes has been performed.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining comprises selecting a monitoring process, the monitoring process being provided from the library, the monitoring process being selected from one or more of monitoring processes, each of the monitoring processes being associated with the one or more processes used to restrict access of the selected wireless device and/or the identity information associated with the selected wireless device.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining comprises monitoring a wireless activity associated with at least the selected wireless device within the selected local geographic region by at least one of the one or more sniffer devices.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining comprises active probing of at least the selected wireless device by at least one of the one or more sniffer devices.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the active probing is provided over the wireless medium.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the active probing comprises transferring an association request to the selected wireless device.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving a message from the selected wireless device indicating a success indication or a failure indication associated with the association request.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the active probing comprises transferring a class 2 packet or a class 3 packet to the selected wireless device.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving a message from the selected wireless device indicating the class 2 packet or the class 3 packet has been allowed or not allowed.

23. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a time period associated with the selected wireless device after the selected wireless device has been restricted from engaging in the wireless communication after performing the one or more processes to determine an effect of the one or more processes.

24. The method of claim 14 further comprising inputting information derived from the determining, the information being associated with a result based upon whether the selected wireless device has been restricted, the information being stored in the library.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising inputting the time period into the library.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication is with a secured local area computer network.

27. A method for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region, the method comprising:

selecting one or more first processes associated with restricting the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication within the selected local geographic region, the selected local geographic region comprising one or more sniffer devices;

transmitting one or more packets from at least one of the one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform at least one of the first processes to restrict the selected wireless device;

monitoring a wireless activity associated with at least the selected wireless device to determine if the selected wireless device has been restricted from engaging in the wireless communication after performing at least the first process;

selecting one or more second processes associated with restricting the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication within the selected local geographic region;

transmitting one or more packets from at least one of the one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform at least one of the second processes to restrict the selected wireless device; and

monitoring a wireless activity associated with at least the selected wireless device to determine if the selected wireless device has been restricted from engaging in the wireless communication after performing at least the second process.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the first process is different from the second process.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the first process comprises a first set of parameters and the second process comprises a second set of parameters.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the first process and the second process are the same process;

and wherein the first set of parameters include one or more different parameters from the second set of parameters and/or wherein the first set of parameters include one or more different parameter values from the second set of parameter values.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the first process is selected from at least a forced deauthentication/disassociation process, a virtual jamming process, a selective virtual jamming process, an access point flooding process, an acknowledgement collision process, a beacon disruption process, a link hogging process, and a power save mode disruption process.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein the second process is selected from at least a forced deauthentication/disassociation process, a virtual jamming process, a selective virtual jamming process, an access point flooding process, an acknowledgement collision process, a beacon disruption process, a link hogging process, and a power save mode disruption process.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the first process and the second process is selected according to a policy.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein the wireless activity is undesirable wireless activity.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein the selected wireless device is unauthorized or undesirable.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein the policy is directed to achieving a desirable objective.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the desirable objective is to at least selectively restrict the selected wireless device.

38. The method claim 36 wherein the desirable objective is to at least avoid restricting other wireless devices within the selected geographic region.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the desirable objective is to at least reliably restrict the selected wireless device.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the desirable objective is to at least reduce a computation overhead on at least one of the one or more sniffer devices.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the desirable objective is to at least reduce a wireless bandwidth usage for performing the one or more processes for restricting the selected wireless device.

42. A method for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region, the method comprising:

receiving an indication comprising at least identity information, the indication being associated with a selected wireless device, the selected wireless device being associated with an undesirable wireless communication within the selected local geographic region;

selecting one or more processes directed to restrict the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication; and

transmitting one or more packets from at least one of one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform said one or more processes to restrict the selected wireless device

wherein the one or more processes includes at least a selective virtual jamming process.

43. A method for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region, the method comprising:

receiving an indication comprising at least identity information, the indication being associated with a selected wireless device, the selected wireless device being associated with an undesirable wireless communication within the selected local geographic region;

selecting one or more processes directed to restrict the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication; and

transmitting one or more packets from at least one of one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform said one or more processes to restrict the selected wireless device;

wherein the one or more processes includes at least an access point flooding process.

44. A method for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region, the method comprising:

receiving an indication comprising at least identity information, the indication being associated with a selected wireless device, the selected wireless device being associated with an undesirable wireless communication within the selected local geographic region;

selecting one or more processes directed to restrict the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication; and

transmitting one or more packets from the at least one of one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform said one or more processes to restrict the selected wireless device;

wherein the one or more processes includes at least an acknowledgement collision process.

45. A method for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region using feedback and one or more additional processes to restrict access of the one or more wireless devices, the method comprising:

selecting one or more first processes associated with restricting the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication within the selected local geographic region, the selected local geographic region comprising one or more sniffer devices;

transmitting one or more packets from at least one of the one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform at least one of the first processes to restrict the selected wireless device;

monitoring a wireless activity associated with at least the selected wireless device;

determining if the selected wireless device has been restricted from engaging in the wireless communication after performing at least the first process;

selecting one or more second processes associated with restricting the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication within the selected local geographic region only if the selected wireless device has not been substantially restricted from engaging in wireless communication within the selected local geographic region;

transmitting one or more packets from at least one of the one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform at least one of the second processes to restrict the selected wireless device; and

monitoring a wireless activity associated with at least the selected wireless device to determine if the selected wireless device has been restricted from engaging in the wireless communication after performing at least the second process.

46. A system for restricting one or more wireless devices from engaging in wireless communication within a selected local geographic region, the system comprising:

a main process module;

an input handler coupled to the main process module and adapted to receive an indication comprising at least identity information, the indication being associated with a selected wireless device, the selected wireless device being associated with an undesirable wireless communication within the selected local geographic region;

a selection module coupled to the main process module, the selection module being adapted to select one or more processes directed to restrict the selected wireless device from engaging in wireless communication;

an access module coupled to the main process module, the access module being adapted to perform a prioritized access to a wireless medium using at least one of one or more sniffer devices, the one or more sniffer devices being spatially disposed within a vicinity of the selected local geographic region; and

an output handler coupled to the main process module, the output handler being adapted to transmit one or more packets from the at least one of one or more sniffer devices, the one or more packets being directed to perform at least one of the one or more processes to restrict the selected wireless device.

47. The system of claim 46 further comprising a knowledge library coupled to the main process module, the knowledge library comprising information associated with a plurality of processes directed to restrict wireless communication and a plurality of wireless devices.

48. The system of claim 46 further comprising a monitoring module coupled to the main process module, the monitoring module being adapted to detect a wireless activity associated with at least the selected wireless device to determine if the selected wireless device has been restricted from engaging in the wireless communication.

49. A method for monitoring a local area wireless communication network including a process for disrupting undesirable wireless communications between wireless devices, the method comprising:

detecting undesirable wireless communication between at least two wireless devices using first one or more sniffer devices, at least one of the wireless devices is provided in a portable computing device, the undesirable wireless communication using at least one first value associated with at least one parameter included in at least a first beacon packet for synchronization process, the first beacon packet being transmitted by one of the at least two wireless devices; and

transmitting at least a first fake beacon packet from a second sniffer device, the first fake beacon packet comprising at least one second value associated with the at least one parameter, the second value being set to disrupt the undesirable wireless communication between the at least two wireless devices; and

whereupon the first fake beacon packet is characterized by the second value associated with the at least one parameter to desyncronize the synchronization process associated with the undesirable wireless communication between the at least two wireless devices.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the undesirable wireless communication is provided using an IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the undesirable wireless communiation is an ad hoc mode wireless communication.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein the undesirable wireless communication is an infrastructure mode wireless communication.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein a value of the at least one parameter indicates a service set identifier (SSID) information associated with the undesirable wireless communication.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the service set identifier (SSID) is a basic service set identifier (BSSID).

55. The method of claim 49 wherein a value of the at least one parameter indicates an operating channel information associated with the undesirable wireless communication.

56. The method of claim 49 wherein the first value is not equal to the second value.

57. The method of claim 49 wherein the fake beacon packet comprises a fake probe response packet.

58. The method of claim 49, and further comprising synchronizing a first wireless device from the at least two wireless devices with the second sniffer device using the second value associated with the at least one parameter.

59. The method of claim 58, and further comprising transmitting at least a second fake beacon packet from the second sniffer device, the second fake beacon packet comprising a third value associated with the at least one parameter.

60. The method of claim 59, and further comprising synchronizing a second wireless device from the at least two wireless devices with the second sniffer device using the third value associated with the at least one parameter.

61. The method of claim 60, and further comprising providing a man-in-the-middle attack between the at least two wireless devices, the man-in-the-middle attack being provided by the second sniffer device.

62. The method of claim 49 wherein the second sniffer device is one of the first one or more sniffer devices.