System and Method of Preventing Hijacking of Security Systems and Components

• US 20160234226A1
• Filed: 02/06/2015
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schmit, Thomas Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection

Abstract

A decentralized component is provided as an overly for a centralized system architecture as represented, for example, by a regional monitoring system. The decentralized components provide additional authentication of communications with a displaced monitoring service. Where agents of the decentralized component detect the presence of an unauthenticated monitoring service, messages can be generated, or other actions taken, to respond to that monitoring service.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a common control element;

a plurality of input or output detectors coupled to the element, members of the plurality include, at least some of, condition sensors, security sensors or building automation related sensors; and

at least one monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit evaluates selected communications to or from the control element or members of the plurality of detectors for one or more patterns which indicate that at least some of the communications are emanating from an unauthenticated source.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the source comprises a monitoring service facility which communicates with at least some of the control elements or members of the plurality of detectors.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein in the event that the monitoring unit senses an unauthenticated source, at least one of generating notice messages, or altering performance of at least one system component is implemented.

4. A system as in claim 2 wherein in response to successful authentication, the monitoring unit updates a local log.

5. A system as in claim 4 where the unit transmits an authenticating indicium to the control element.

6. A system as in claim 1 which includes a plurality of monitoring units wherein the units can monitor events originating in the system, or originate events to determine responses to determine if any events, or responses thereto are emanating from an authenticated source.

7. A system as in claim 5 which includes a plurality of monitoring units wherein the units can monitor events originating in the system, or originate events to determine responses to determine if any events, or responses thereto are emanating from an authenticated source.

8. A system as in claim 6 wherein the monitoring units comprise a de-centralized component which at least intermittently attempt to authenticate a source communicating with one or more of the control element or the detectors.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein in the presence of an authenticated source, the control element continues to communicate local sensed conditions to the source.

10. A system as in claim 9 wherein in the presence of a source which cannot be authenticated, the units provide indicia to at least the control element indicative of the detected unauthenticated source.

11. A method comprising:

providing at least one of a regional monitoring, or, building automation system which can detect conditions in a predetermined region;

providing a decentralized supervisory system which at least intermittently attempts to authentify communications between elements of the monitoring system and a supervisory facility.

12. A method as in claim 11 which includes generating an indicator in response to an authentication failure.

13. A method as in claim 12 communicating the indicator to at least some components of the at least one system.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein the supervisory system includes at least one of monitoring events, or, originating events in the at least one system and searching for patterns that indicate the presence of an authenticated supervisory facility.

15. A method as in claim 14 includes generating selected trouble indicators in the presence of an unauthenticated supervisory facility.

16. A method as in claim 15 which includes generating trouble indicators at a plurality of sites in the system and broadcasting them.

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one of a security system, a condition monitoring system or a building automation system; and

a supervisory system which includes a plurality of agents, the agents can detect communications associated with the at least one system wherein the supervisory system evaluates detected communications for one or more patterns which indicate that at least some of the communications are emanating from an unauthorized source.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17 which includes a monitoring service facility which communicates with and provides services to the at least one system wherein the agents recognize the service facility as an authorized source.

19. An apparatus as in claim 17 which includes circuitry for communicating with a wireless user device, and, responsive to determining that at least one sensed pattern indicates that at least some of the communications are emanating from an unauthorized source, the supervisory system transmits a warning indication to the user device.

20. An apparatus as in claim 17 which includes circuitry for communicating with a wireless user device, and, responsive to determining that at least one sensed pattern indicates that at least some of the communications are emanating from an unauthorized source, the supervisory system transmits a performance altering indicium to the at least one system.