Beacon Spoofing Prevention

• US 20170208091A1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Published: 07/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Whitsell, Sean, Jennings, Cullen, Biggs, Andrew, Linskey, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,171,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a beacon signal is received from a beacon device. Either a mobile device or a server identifies a beacon authentication value from the beacon signal. Either the mobile device or the server calculates a local verification value from a security algorithm. A comparison of the authentication value to the local verification value is performed, and a location service is provided based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a beacon authentication value derived from a beacon signal emitted from a beacon device;

calculating a local verification value from a security algorithm;

performing a comparison of the beacon authentication value to the local verification value; and

providing a location service based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a unique identifier for the beacon device from the beacon signal, wherein the location service is based on the unique identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon authentication value is a one time password.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the local verification value increments from an initial seed value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the local verification value increments based on a clock.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the local verification value increments sequentially.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the initial seed value is applied to the beacon device through a serial interface.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a non-unique identifier for the beacon device from the beacon signal, wherein the location service is based on the non-unique identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-unique identifier includes a first value indicative of a first area and a second value indicative of a second area, wherein the second area is a subset of the first area.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a spoof warning matching when the comparison indicates the beacon authentication value is different than the local verification value.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising one or more instructions executable by the processor to perform;

receiving a beacon authentication value extracted from a beacon signal from a proximity beacon;

calculating a local verification value from a security algorithm;

performing a comparison of the beacon authentication value to the local verification value; and

providing a location service based on the comparison.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the one or more instructions executable by the processor to perform:

identifying a unique identifier for the proximity beacon from the beacon signal, wherein the location service is based on the unique identifier.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier describes a retail outlet or a portion of the retail outlet.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier is set by a manual dial or switch on the proximity beacon.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the beacon authentication value is a one time password.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the local verification value increments from an initial seed value based on a clock.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the initial seed value is applied to the beacon device through a communication interface.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are configured to cause a processer to:

generate a beacon authentication value from a seed value and a clock;

send a beacon signal including the beacon authentication value and a unique identifier from a beacon device,

wherein the beacon authentication value is compared to a local verification value from a security algorithm at an administrative server for the beacon device, and a location service is unlocked based on the comparison.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the unique identifier identifies a geographic location.