METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING UNAUTHORIZED WIRELESS DEVICES

• US 20110055928A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Brindza, Monica Juliet
• Granted Patent: US 9,119,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

An approach is provided for detecting unauthorized wireless devices in a network. A platform retrieves an identifier of a device from a log of devices connected to a network, determines whether the device is a wireless device by applying a plurality of criteria to the identifier, retrieving a list of wireless devices authorized to connect to the network if the device is determined to be a wireless device, and compares the identifier with the list to determine whether the device is authorized to connect to the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving an identifier of a device from a log of devices connected to a network;

determining whether the device is a wireless device by applying a plurality of criteria to the identifier;

retrieving a list of wireless devices authorized to connect to the network if the device is determined to be a wireless device; and

comparing the identifier with the list to determine whether the device is authorized to connect to the network.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a known wireless device model name.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a mobile telephone with wireless networking capability.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a wireless network interface controller associated with a known network device.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a wireless access point that has been designated as an interfering access point.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a wireless device manufacturer.

7. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding the device to a list of unauthorized wireless devices based on the comparison.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the log of devices connected to the network is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) log.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to retrieve an identifier of a device from a log of devices connected to a network, to determine whether the device is a wireless device by applying a plurality of criteria to the identifier, to retrieve a list of wireless devices authorized to connect to the network if the device is determined to be a wireless device, and to compare the identifier with the list to determine whether device is authorized to connect to the network.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a known wireless device model name.

11. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a mobile telephone with wireless networking capability.

12. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a wireless network interface controller associated with a known network device.

13. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a wireless access point that has been designated as an interfering access point.

14. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of criteria specifies information for determining whether the identifier corresponds to a wireless device manufacturer.

15. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to

add the device to a list of unauthorized wireless devices based on the comparison.

16. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the log of devices connected to a network is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) log.

17. A system comprising:

a device detection module configured to detect presence of a wireless device and to determine an identifier of the detected wireless device according to a predetermined criteria;

a device log module configured to retrieve log data relating to authorized connectivity to a network; and

an authorization module configured to compare the identifier with the retrieved log data to generate authorization information for granting access to the network.

18. A system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of criteria includes information for identifying the wireless device based on one of wireless device model name, wireless networking capability, wireless network interface controller, a designation as an interfering access point, device manufacturer, or a combination thereof.

19. A system of claim 17, wherein the device log module is further configured to communicate with a network address server configured to assign a network address to the wireless device.

20. A system of claim 19, wherein the log is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) log.