Methods, systems, and computer program products for establishing trusted access to a communication network

• US 20060230279A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US11/093,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20060230279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for establishing trusted access to a communication network by a client detect an available access network providing access to a target communication network and determine a trust indication associated with the available access network. The trust indication is originated by a trust authority that is separate from the client and from the available access network. A determination of whether to access the communication network via the available access network is made at the client based on the trust indication. The trust-related characteristics and the trust indication are determined by the trust authority, which makes the determined trust indication available to clients detecting the access network. For example, a trust indication message may be sent to a client prior to providing access by the client to the target communication network. The access is provided based on a response by the client to the received trust indication message.

Claims

1. A method for establishing trusted access to a communication network by a client, the method comprising:

at a client;

(a) detecting an available access network providing access to a target communication network;

(b) determining a trust indication associated with the available access network, wherein the trust indication is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network; and

(c) determining whether to access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting an available access network providing access to a target communication network includes detecting an access gateway.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting an available access network providing access to a target communication network includes detecting a wireless access point.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a trust indication associated with the available access network includes receiving the trust indication from an access gateway.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a trust indication associated with the available access network includes receiving the trust indication from the trust authority.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a trust indication associated with the available access network includes receiving a digital certificate signed by the trust authority, wherein the digital certificate includes identifying information for the available access network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a trust indication associated with the available access network includes determining one of a plurality of trust levels based on the trust indication.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the trust indication associated with the available access network is based on at least one of a security protocol used to provide access to the target communication network, characteristics of a device used to provide access to the target communication network, security applications used to provide access to the target communication network, encryption techniques used to provide access to the target communication network, access control techniques used to provide access to the target communication network, encryption/decryption key management techniques associated with the available access network, techniques used to ensure message integrity of messages transmitted via the available access network, a contractual relationship between a provider of the available access network and the trust-authority, audits of the provider of the available access network, and monitoring of problems reported by users of the available access network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whetherto access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication comprises selecting between the available access network and at least one other available access network providing access to the target communication network, the selection being based on a comparison of respective trust indications of the available access networks.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether to access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication comprises:

(a) displaying the determined trust indication to a user;

(b) requesting user input regarding whether to access the target communication network via the available access network; and

(c) determining whether to access the-target communication network via the available access network responsive to receiving the requested user input.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whetherto access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication includes determining to access the target communication network when the determined trust indication corresponds to at least a minimum trust level.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein determining whether to access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication comprises:

(a) in response to the determined trust indication corresponding to less than the minimum trust level;

(i) displaying the trust indication to a user;

(ii) requesting user input regarding whether to access the target communication network via the available access network; and

(iii) determining whether to access the target communication network via the available access network responsive to receiving the requested user input.

13. The method of claim 1 comprising, in response to determining to access the target communication network via the available access network, establishing secure access via a secure node providing secure communications with the target communication network.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein establishing secure access via a secure node providing secure communications with the target communication network includes tunneling to a secure server.

15. A method for providing trusted access to a communication network, the method comprising:

at a network node;

(a) sending a trust indication message to a client prior to providing access by the client to a target communication network, wherein the trust indication is associated with an available access network providing access to the target communication network and is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network; and

(b) providing access to the target communication network based on a response to the sent trust indication message.

16. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

at a client;

(a) detecting an available access network providing access to a target communication network;

(b) determining a trust indication associated with the available access network, wherein the trust indication is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network; and

(c) determining whether to access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication.

17. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

at a network node;

(a) sending a trust indication message to a client prior to providing access by the client to a target communication network, wherein the trust indication is associated with an available access network providing access to the target communication network and is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network; and

(b) providing access to the target communication network based on a response to the sent trust indication message.

18. A communication device for establishing trusted access to a communication network comprising:

(a) means for detecting an available access network providing access to a target communication network;

(b) means for determining a trust indication associated with the available access network, wherein the trust indication is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network; and

(c) means for determining whether to access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication.

19. A communication device for establishing trusted access to a communication network comprising:

(a) a network interface for detecting an available access network providing access to a target communication network;

(b) a trust module for determining a trust indication associated with the available access network, wherein the trust indication is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network; and

(c) an access discriminator for determining whether to access the target communication network via the available access network based on the trust indication.

20. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the network interface is adapted to detect an access gateway.

21. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the network interface is adapted to detect a wireless access point.

22. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the trust module is adapted to receive the trust indication from an access gateway.

23. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the trust module is adapted to receive the trust indication from the trust authority.

24. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the trust module is adapted to receive a digital certificate signed by the trust authority, wherein the digital certificate includes identifying information for the available access network.

25. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the trust module is adapted to determine one of a plurality of trust levels based on the trust indication.

26. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the trust indication associated with the available access network is based on at least one of a security protocol used to provide access to the target communication network, characteristics of a device used to provide access to the target communication network, security applications used to provide access to the target communication network, encryption techniques used to provide access to the target communication network, access control techniques used to provide access to the target communication network, encryption/decryption key management techniques associated with the available access network, techniques used to ensure message integrity of messages transmitted via the available access network, a contractual relationship between a provider of the available access network and the trust authority, audits of the provider of the available access network, and monitoring of problems reported by users of the available access network.

27. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the access discriminator is adapted to select between the available access network and at least one other available access network providing access to the target communication network, the selection being based on a comparison of respective trust indications of the available access networks.

28. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the access discriminator is adapted to:

(a) display the determined trust indication to a user;

(b) request user input regarding whether to access the target communication network via the available access network; and

(c) determine whether to access the target communication network via the available access network responsive to receiving the requested user input.

29. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the access discriminator is adapted to determine to access the target communication network via the available access network when the determined trust indication corresponds to at least a minimum trust level.

30. The communication device of claim 29 wherein the access discriminator is adapted to, in response to the determined trust indication corresponding to less than the minimum trust level:

(a) display the trust indication to a user;

(b) request user input regarding whether to access the target communication network via the available access network; and

(c) determine whether to access the target communication network via the available access network responsive to receiving the requested user input.

31. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the access discriminator is adapted to, in response to determining to access the target communication network via the available access network, establish secure access via a secure node providing secure communications with the target communication network.

32. The communication device of claim 31 wherein the access discriminator is adapted to establish secure access with the target communication network by tunneling to a secure server.

33. A network node for providing trusted access to a communication network, the network node comprising:

(a) a network interface for providing access by a client to a target communication network; and

(b) a trust module for sending a trust indication associated with an available access network providing access by the client to the target communication network, wherein the trust indication is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network.

34. The network node of claim 33 wherein the network node is an access gateway.

35. The network node of claim 33 wherein the network node is a WAP.

36. A user interface at a client, the user interface comprising:

(a) at least one access network identifier corresponding to an available access network providing access to a target communication network;

(b) a trust level corresponding to each access network identifier, wherein the corresponding trust level is one of a plurality of trust levels and the corresponding trust level represents a level of trust associated with the available access network; and

(c) input means for initiating access by the client to the target communication network via a selected one of the at least one access network identifiers.

37. The user interface of claim 36 wherein the trust level is originated by a trust authority, the trust authority being separate from the client and from the available access network.