Immobilization module for security on a communication system

• US 20110078763A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kan, Chao, Klein, Thierry, Thieu, Phu
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

Example embodiments are directed to a method of controlling a self-sufficient network system to prevent unauthorized use of the self-sufficient network. The method includes receiving an activation request from the self-sufficient network system and authenticating the self-sufficient network system based on the activation request. The self-sufficient network system is functional if the activation request is valid and the self-sufficient network system has reduced functionality if the activation request is not valid.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a self-sufficient network system to prevent unauthorized use of the self-sufficient network, the method comprising:

receiving an activation request from the self-sufficient network system; and

authenticating the self-sufficient network system based on the activation request, the self-sufficient network system being functional if the activation request is valid and the self-sufficient network system having reduced functionality if the activation request is not valid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving and the authenticating are performed periodically.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a deactivation signal to the authenticated self-sufficient network system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting includes,

receiving a signal from the authenticated self-sufficient network system indicating tampering of the self-sufficient network system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving an activation request from the self-sufficient network system includes,

first receiving an initial activation request from the self-sufficient network system if the self-sufficient network system is not authenticated;

and

receiving periodic activation requests if the self-sufficient network system is authenticated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the self-sufficient network system includes,

disabling the self-sufficient network system if the activation request is invalid.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the disabling the self-sufficient network system includes,

zeroing out encryption keys of the self-sufficient network system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the self-sufficient network system is a deployable network.

9. A method of controlling a self-sufficient network system to prevent unauthorized use of the self-sufficient network system, the method comprising:

requesting, by a service system, authentication information;

receiving, from the self-sufficient network system, the requested authentication information;

determining, by the service system, a tampering state of the self-sufficient network system; and

restricting the functionality of or disabling, by the service system, the self-sufficient network system based on the determined tampered state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the requesting includes,

requesting the authentication information over a mesh network.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the requesting includes,

requesting the authentication information through a backhaul interface.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the self-sufficient network system is a deployable network.

13. A method of automatically controlling a self-sufficient network system, the method comprising:

detecting, by the self-sufficient network system, a tampering of the self-sufficient network system;

transmitting, by the self-sufficient network system, a tampering alert if a tampering has occurred.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmitting includes,

zeroing out encryption keys of the self-sufficient network system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmitting includes,

transmitting the tampering alert to a node to indicate that the self-sufficient network system has been tampered with.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

disabling the self-sufficient network system.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a disabling signal from the node instructing the self-sufficient network system to disable.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a non-disabling signal from the node instructing the self-sufficient network system not to disable.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the self-sufficient network system is a deployable network.