Method and system for managing ad-hoc connections in a wireless network

• US 20070109982A1
• Filed: 08/22/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shankar, Rohit, Gudipudi, Srinivas, Zhu, Yidong, Purushothaman, Abhilash, Pore, Ravi, Short, Theodore, Deshpande, Sumit, Djemil, Tuna
• Application Number:
  US11/466,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109982A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for managing ad-hoc connections in a wireless network includes receiving, at an endpoint device, a connection policy from a managing device over the wireless network. The connection policy indicates network security settings for the endpoint device. The method also includes detecting at the endpoint device an ad-hoc connection. The method further includes responding to the ad-hoc connection based on the connection policy.

Claims

1. A method for managing ad-hoc connections in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving, at an endpoint device, a connection policy from a managing device over the wireless network, the connection policy indicating network security settings for the endpoint device, the connection policy comprising software code operable to configure the endpoint device;

configuring the endpoint device according to the connection policy;

detecting, at the endpoint device, an ad-hoc connection;

generating an alert of the ad-hoc connection; and

in response to a designation by a user of the endpoint device, permitting an ad-hoc connection in response to the ad-hoc connection.

2. A method for managing ad-hoc connections in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving, at an endpoint device, a connection policy from a managing device over the wireless network, the connection policy indicating network security settings for the endpoint device;

detecting, at the endpoint device, an ad-hoc connection; and

responding to the ad-hoc connection based on the connection policy.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising configuring the endpoint device according to the connection policy.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising detecting, at the endpoint device, an ad-hoc network.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein responding to the ad-hoc connection comprises generating an alert of the ad-hoc connection.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising in response to a designation by a user of the endpoint device, permitting an ad-hoc connection in response to the ad-hoc connection.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein responding to the ad-hoc connection comprises denying the ad-hoc connection.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the connection policy comprises software code operable to configure the endpoint device.

9. A system for managing ad-hoc connections in a wireless network, comprising:

a wireless network, the wireless network comprising one or more access points;

a managing device operable to transmit a connection policy; and

an endpoint device operable to connect to the wireless network, the endpoint device comprising;

a processor; and

a storage device readable by the endpoint device, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for managing ad-hoc connections, the method steps comprising;

receiving a connection policy from the managing device over the wireless network, the connection policy indicating network security settings for the endpoint device;

detecting an ad-hoc connection; and

responding to the ad-hoc connection based on the connection policy.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the method steps further comprise configuring the endpoint device according to the connection policy.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the method steps further comprise detecting an ad-hoc network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the method step of responding to the ad-hoc connection comprises generating an alert of the ad-hoc connection.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the method step of responding to the ad-hoc connection further comprises in response to a designation by a user of the endpoint device, permitting an ad-hoc connection in response to the ad-hoc connection.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the method step of responding to the ad-hoc connection comprises denying the ad-hoc connection.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the connection policy comprises software code operable to configure the endpoint device.

16. Logic encoded in media, the logic being operable to:

receive, at an endpoint device, a connection policy from a managing device over a wireless network, the connection policy indicating network security settings for the endpoint device;

detect, at the endpoint device, an ad-hoc connection; and

respond to the ad-hoc connection based on the connection policy.

17. The logic of claim 16, further operable to configure the endpoint device according to the connection policy.

18. The logic of claim 16, further operable to detect, at the endpoint device, an ad-hoc network.

19. The logic of claim 16, wherein the logic operable to respond to the ad-hoc connection comprises the logic operable to generate an alert of the ad-hoc connection.

20. The logic of claim 17, wherein the logic operable respond to the ad-hoc connection further comprises the logic operable to permit an ad-hoc connection in response to the ad-hoc connection, in response to a designation by a user of the endpoint device.

21. The logic of claim 16, wherein the logic operable respond to the ad-hoc connection comprises the logic operable to deny the ad-hoc connection.

22. The logic of claim 16, wherein the connection policy comprises software code operable to configure the endpoint device.