Telephony security system

• US 6,760,421 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SecureLogix Corporation
• Original Assignee: SecureLogix Corporation
• Inventors: Beebe, Todd, Heilmann, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, BING Q
• Application Number:
  US10/035,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20020090073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.24, 379/156, 379/157, 379/188, 379/189, 379/196, 379/198, 379/93.09, 379/93.11, 379/93.02, 379/200, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 713/201, 713/202, 713/153, 713/154
• US Class Current: 379/189
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0218 Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

A system and method of telephony security for controlling and logging access between an enterprise'"'"'s end-user stations and their respective circuits into the public switched telephone network (PSTN). A security policy, i.e., a set of security rules, are defined for each of the extensions, the rules specifying actions to be taken based upon at least one attribute of the call on the extension. Calls are detected and sensed on the extensions to determine attributes associated with each call. Actions are then performed on selected calls based upon their attributes in accordance with the security rules defined for those extensions.

Claims

1. A security breach alert system located in the connections between the end user stations and the PBX of an enterprise or between the PBX of an enterprise and a Public Switched Telephone Network, to enable said security breach or alert system to monitor both incoming and outgoing telecommunications directed to or originating from an enterprise, said security breach alert system comprising:

an access control device located in the connections between the end-user stations and the PBX of an enterprise or between the PBX of an enterprise and the Public Switched Telephone Network;

said access control device including a set of security rules defining one or more security actions to be applied to the incoming and outgoing telecommunications passing through said access control device wherein said one or more security actions are based on the one or more attributes of the incoming and outgoing telecommunications passing through said access control device;

said set of security rules defining one or more security actions to be applied to the incoming and outgoing calls passing through said access control device being selected from a group including;

no data transfer calls permitted on designated voice lines;

no outbound modem calls permitted on designated voice lines;

no modem calls permitted during a designated time period;

no outbound calls permitted to a certain destination identified by a predetermined numerical sequence;

no long distance calls permitted during a designated time period; and

no outbound calls permitted from non-designated sources;

a computer telephony integration device, said computer telephony integration device being constructed and arranged for connection between said access control device and the PBX of the enterprise;

whereby said one or more security actions to be applied to said incoming and outgoing calls according to said set of security rules originate with said access control device and are passed to said computer telephony integration device for execution at the PBX of the enterprise.

2. The security breach alert system as defined in claim 1 wherein said one or more security actions are selected from a group including:

allowing a call, denying a call, reporting a call, redirecting a call, monitoring call content, recording call content, logging a call, and providing an alert.

3. The security breach alert system as defined in claim 1 wherein said one or more attributes are selected from a group including:

call-type, station extension identification, inbound caller identification, outbound number dialed, key words and call content, date of call, time of call, and duration of call.

4. The security breach alert system as defined in claim 1 wherein said access control device is connected to a management station located nearby or at a very remote distance therefrom within the enterprise for consolidation, management, display or printing of call logs, recorded call content or reports, and programming said security rules into said access control device.

5. The security breach alert system as defined in claim 1 wherein said security rules are programmed into said access control device at said access control device or from the management station located nearby or at a very remote distance therefrom within the enterprise.

6. The security breach alert system as defined in claim 1 whereby said one or more attributes of said incoming and outgoing calls all originate from said PBX and are passed from said computer telephony integration device to said access control device for selecting said one or more actions to be applied to said incoming and outgoing calls according to said set of security rules.