UNIQUE ID GENERATION FOR SENSORS

• US 20160359628A1
• Filed: 05/24/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malhotra, Varun Sagar, Singh, Abhishek Ranjan, Chang, Shih-Chun, Vu, Hai Trong, Pang, Jackson Ngoc Ki
• Granted Patent: US 10,735,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 using compression, e.g. sparse files
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45587 Isolation or security of virtual machine instances
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/566 : Dynamic detection, i.e. detection performed at run-time, e.g. emulation, suspicious activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/033 : Test or assess software
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 : Third party
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 : Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 : Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 : Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0661 : using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/14 : Monitoring arrangements for SDH/SONET rings H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/242 : by comparing a transmitted test signal with a locally generated replica
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 : comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 : by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 : the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 : Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 : Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 : Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 : using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
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• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/02 : Capturing of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/026 : using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 : Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 : for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 : related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 : Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 : by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 : by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 : Packet loss
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• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 : One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 : Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 : Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 : Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 : Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 : using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 : Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 : Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 : the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 : Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 : Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/46 : Cluster building
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/507 : Label distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/66 : Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 : Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 : Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 : Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 : relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2483 : involving identification of individual flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/28 : in relation to timing considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/31 : by tagging of packets, e.g. using discard eligibility [DE] bits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 : by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 : Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 : Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 : Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 : for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 : by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 : Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 : Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 : Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 : Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 : the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 : Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 : Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/16 : Implementing security features at a particular protocol layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 : for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 : Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 : Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/10 : Arrangements for initial synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 : involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 : involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 : involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 : based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for generating a unique ID for a sensor in a network. Once the sensor is installed on a component of the network, the sensor can send attributes of the sensor to a control server of the network. The attributes of the sensor can include at least one unique identifier of the sensor or the host component of the sensor. The control server can determine a hash value using a one-way hash function and a secret key, send the hash value to the sensor, and designate the hash value as a sensor ID of the sensor. In response to receiving the sensor ID, the sensor can incorporate the sensor ID in subsequent communication messages. Other components of the network can verify the validity of the sensor using a hash of the at least one unique identifier of the sensor and the secret key.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor in a network, a first message comprising at least one unique attribute of the sensor or a host component hosting the sensor;

determining a sensor identification (ID) for the sensor using a one-way hash function, a secret key and the at least one unique attribute;

sending the sensor ID to the sensor; and

causing the sensor to incorporate the sensor ID and the at least one unique attribute in subsequent message(s).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one subsequent message from the sensor; and

determining a hash value using the one-way hash function, the secret key and the at least one unique attribute.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the hash value is inconsistent with the sensor ID incorporated in the at least one subsequent message; and

generating a warning report.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the hash value is consistent with the sensor ID incorporated in the at least one subsequent message; and

receiving an additional message from the sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one unique attribute of the sensor or the host component comprises at least one of host name, media access control (MAC) address, and basic input/output system (BIOS) universally unique identifier (UUID) of the host component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor ID is a fixed-length hash value determined based upon various lengths of the at least one unique attribute of the sensor or the host component.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one-way hash function comprises hashed message authentication code (HMAC), message digest 2 (MD2), MD4, MD5, secure hash algorithm-1 (SHA-1), SHA-2, and SHA-3.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor ID has an arbitrary length determined based upon various lengths of the at least one unique attribute of the sensor or the host component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one-way hash function comprises KECCAK.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a clone component to host the sensor, the clone component imaging the host component;

receiving, from the sensor, a second message comprising at least one new unique attribute of the sensor or the clone component;

determining a new sensor ID for the sensor using the one-way hash function, the secret key and the at least one new unique attribute;

sending the new sensor ID to the sensor; and

causing the sensor to incorporate the new sensor ID and the at least one new unique attribute in subsequent new message(s).

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a sensor in a network, a first message comprising at least one unique attribute of the sensor or a host component hosting the sensor;

determining a sensor identification (ID) for the sensor using a one-way hash function, a secret key and the at least one unique attribute;

sending the sensor ID to the sensor; and

causing the sensor to incorporate the sensor ID and the at least one unique attribute in subsequent message(s).

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations further comprising:

receiving at least one subsequent message from the sensor; and

determining a hash value using the one-way hash function, the secret key and the at least one unique attribute.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations further comprising:

determining that the hash value is inconsistent with the sensor ID incorporated in the at least one subsequent message; and

generating a warning report.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations further comprising:

determining that the hash value is consistent with the sensor ID incorporated in the at least one subsequent message; and

receiving an additional message from the sensor.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one unique attribute of the sensor or the host component comprises at least one of host name, media access control (MAC) address, and basic input/output system (BIOS) universally unique identifier (UUID) of the host component.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor ID is a fixed-length hash value determined based upon various lengths of the at least one unique attribute of the sensor or the host component, and wherein the one-way hash function comprises hashed message authentication code (HMAC), message digest 2 (MD2), MD4, MD5, secure hash algorithm-1 (SHA-1), SHA-2, and SHA-3.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations further comprising:

generating a clone component to host the sensor, the clone component imaging the host component;

receiving, from the sensor, a second message comprising at least one new unique attribute of the sensor or the clone component;

determining a new sensor ID for the sensor using the one-way hash function, the secret key and the at least one new unique attribute;

sending the new sensor ID to the sensor; and

causing the sensor to incorporate the new sensor ID and the at least one new unique attribute in subsequent new message(s).

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for generating a sensor identification (ID) for a sensor in a network, that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from the sensor, a first message comprising at least one unique attribute of the sensor or a host component hosting the sensor;

determining the sensor ID for the sensor using a one-way hash function, a secret key and the at least one unique attribute;

sending the sensor ID to the sensor; and

causing the sensor to incorporate the sensor ID and the at least one unique attribute in subsequent message(s).

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to perform operations further comprising:

receiving at least one subsequent message from the sensor; and

determining a hash value using the one-way hash function, the secret key and the at least one unique attribute.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to perform operations further comprising:

determining that the hash value is inconsistent with the sensor ID incorporated in the at least one subsequent message; and

generating a warning report.