System and method for Quarantining IP Service Devices

• US 20110185061A1
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Filippi, Geoff, Roosenraad, Christopher R., Chen, John Anthony, Gould, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,683,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A system and method for quarantining IP service devices (ISDs). When an ISD is placed into a quarantined environment, any request from the ISD will be re-directed to a quarantine alert server in a quarantine sub-system. In response to the request, the quarantine alert server may provide the user with information about the quarantine and may redirect, or instruct the user to redirect, the request to a quarantine response server. The quarantine response server may provide additional information that is not in the quarantine video message as to how the user may end the quarantine.

Claims

1. A method for affecting the behavior of an IP service device (ISD) comprising:

receiving a service request from the ISD at a network access device, wherein the network access device is connected to a network;

forwarding the service request from the network access device to an IP application server accessible to the network;

determining at the IP application server whether the ISD is subject to quarantine;

providing the requested IP service when the ISD is not subject to quarantine; and

sending the ISD a quarantine message when the ISD is subject to quarantine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network access device is a modem.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ISD is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a telephone handset, and an IP set top box.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises a request for video services.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises a request for telephone service.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the quarantine message is an audio-video message.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the quarantine message is an audio message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the quarantine message comprises an explanation of why the ISD is quarantined.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the quarantine message comprises an explanation of how to return the ISD to an unquarantined state.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises an originating MAC address of the network access device and wherein determining at the IP application server whether the ISD is subject to quarantine comprises:

receiving at the IP application server the originating MAC address of the network access device from the service request;

accessing a quarantine datastore, wherein the quarantine datastore comprises a quarantine status of a plurality of network access devices and wherein the quarantine status of each of the plurality of network access devices is associated with a stored MAC address;

comparing the originating MAC address to the plurality of stored MAC addresses;

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as quarantined when the originating MAC address matches one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses; and

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as not quarantined when the originating MAC address does not match one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the quarantine datastore is located in the IP application server.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the quarantine datastore is remote from and accessible to the IP application server via the network.

13-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A system for affecting the behavior of an IP service device (ISD) comprising:

a network;

a network access device connected to the network comprising a first processor; and

an IP application server accessible via the network and comprising a second processor,

wherein the first processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the network access device to perform operations comprising;

receiving a service request from the ISD; and

forwarding the service request to the IP application server; and

wherein the second processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the IP applications server to perform operations comprising;

determining whether the ISD is subject to quarantine;

providing the requested IP service when the ISD is not subject to quarantine; and

sending the ISD a quarantine message when the ISD is subject to quarantine.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the network access device is a modem.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the ISD is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a telephone handset, and an IP set top box.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the service request comprises a request for video services.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the service request comprises a request for telephone service.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the quarantine message is an audio-video message.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the quarantine message is an audio message.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the quarantine message comprises an explanation of why the ISD is quarantined.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the quarantine message comprises an explanation of how to return the ISD to an unquarantined state.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the service request comprises an originating MAC address of the network access device and wherein the instruction for determining at the IP application server whether the ISD is subject to quarantine comprises software executable instructions to cause the IP applications server to perform operations comprising:

receiving the originating MAC address of the network access device from the service request;

accessing a quarantine datastore, wherein the quarantine datastore comprises a quarantine status of a plurality of network access devices and wherein the quarantine status of each of the plurality of network access devices is associated with a stored MAC address;

comparing the originating MAC address to the plurality of stored MAC addresses;

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as quarantined when the originating MAC address matches one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses; and

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as not quarantined when the originating MAC address does not match one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the quarantine datastore is located in the IP application server.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the quarantine datastore is remote from and accessible to the IP application server via the network.