Method and device for protecting data communication

• US 7,054,942 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1998
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: De La Bretonière, Ralph Rogier
• Original Assignee: De La Bretonière, Ralph Rogier
• Inventors: De La Bretonière, Ralph Rogier
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/509,983
• Time in Patent Office: 2,790 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/230, 709/225, 709/232, 709/217, 709/229, 709/237
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 remotely

Abstract

A method and a device for protecting data communication traffic between a first communication station and a second communication station, in which the data is dispatched according to a data protocol from the second to the first communication station. The method includes the steps of the comparison of the data protocol with at least one standardized protocol and the forwarding only of data of which the data protocol complies with the at least one standardized protocol to the first communication station. For this purpose, the device includes memory in which data of at least one standardized protocol have been stored and a comparison/forwarding part which compares the stored data characteristics with the data protocol and forward only data of which the data protocol complies with the at least one standardized protocol.

Claims

1. Method for protecting data communication traffic between a first communication station (11) and a second communication station (12), in which the data is dispatched according to a data protocol from the second communication station to the first communication station, comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving the data from the second communication station (12) in a data communication protection device (10),

the protection device having i) a first input for connection to an incoming communication line receiving the data communication from the second communication station, ii) a second input for connection to the first communication station, iii) a comparison and forwarding module connected intermediate the first input and the second input and establishing a physical communication link between the first input and the second input, and iv) a memory connected to the comparison and forwarding module, the memory unit storing characteristics of a standardized communications protocol of first communication device,

the comparison and forwarding module configured to compare the standardized communications protocol to a data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized communications protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized communication protocol;

(ii) comparing the data protocol of the data with the standardized communication protocol in the data communication protection device (10), characterized by

(iii) forwarding data of which the data protocol complies with the standardized communication protocol from the data communication protection device (10) to the first communication station (11), and not forwarding data of which the data protocol does not comply with the standardized communication protocol from the data communication protection device to the first communication station by physically opening the communication link within the protection device to prevent communications between the first communication station (11) and the second communication station (12).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after it has emerged during the comparison of the data protocol that the latter does not comply with the at least one standardized protocol, a warning is generated.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after it has emerged during the comparison of the data protocol that the latter does not comply with the at least one standardized protocol, a data file containing data of the data communication traffic and the second communication station (12) is stored.

4. Data communication protection device (10) arranged for protecting data communication traffic between a first communication station (1) and a second communication station (12), data being dispatched according to a data protocol from the second communication station to the first communication station, the data communication protection device comprising:

a first input for connection to an incoming communication line receiving the data communication from the second communication station;

a second input for connection to the first communication station;

a comparison and forwarding module connected intermediate the first input and the second input and establishing a physical communication link between the first input and the second input; and

a memory connected to the comparison and forwarding module,

the memory unit storing characteristics of a standardized communications protocol of first communication device,

the comparison and forwarding module configured to compare the standardized communications protocol to a data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized communications protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized communication protocol.

5. Data communication device according to claim 4, characterized in that the device furthermore comprises warning means (16) linked to the comparison/forwarding means (15) which give a warning after it has emerged during the comparison of the data protocol that it does not belong to the at least one standardized protocol.

6. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the device furthermore comprises display means (17) linked to the comparison/forwarding means (15), the display means (17) displaying data relating to the data communication traffic and the second communication station (12), which data are stored after it has emerged during the comparison of the data protocol that the latter does not comply with the at least one standardized protocol.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the device furthermore comprises input means (18) linked to the comparison/forwarding means (15) for inputting commands relating to the display of the data.

8. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the device comprises interface means for exchanging data relating to the data communication traffic and the second communication station (12) with an external processing device, which data are stored after it has emerged during the comparison of the data protocol that the latter does not comply with the at least one standardized protocol.

9. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the device (10) is integrated in the first communication station (11).

10. A remote diagnostics and protective device, comprising:

a first input for connection to an incoming communication line;

a second input for connection to a communication apparatus;

a comparison and forwarding module connected intermediate the first input and the second input and establishing a physical communication link between the first input and the second input; and

a memory connected to the comparison and forwarding module,

the memory unit storing characteristics of a standardized communication protocol,

the comparison and forwarding module configured to compare the standardized communication protocol to a data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized communication protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized communication protocol.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein when the comparison and forwarding module opens the communication link, a data file of the incoming data is stored in the memory.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein,

the first input is for connection to an incoming telephone line;

the second input is for connection to a telefax machine; and

the memory unit stores characteristics of a standardized protocol of telefax communication,

the comparison and forwarding module is configured to compare the standardized telefax protocol to the data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized telefax protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized telefax protocol.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein when the comparison and forwarding module opens the communication link, a data file of the incoming data is stored in the memory.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein,

the first input is for connection to an incoming telephone line;

the second input is for connection to a photocopy machine; and

the memory unit stores characteristics of a standardized protocol of photocopy communication,

the comparison and forwarding module is configured to compare the standardized photocopy protocol to the data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized photocopy protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized photocopy protocol.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein when the comparison and forwarding module opens the communication link, a data file of the incoming data is stored in the memory.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein,

the second input is for connection to a telefax machine;

and

the memory unit stores characteristics of a standardized protocol of telefax communication,

the comparison and forwarding module is configured to compare the standardized telefax protocol to the data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized telefax protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized telefax protocol.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein when the comparison and forwarding module opens the communication link, a data file of the incoming data is stored in the memory.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein,

the second input is for connection to a photocopy machine;

and

the memory unit stores characteristics of a standardized protocol of photocopy communication,

the comparison and forwarding module is configured to compare the standardized photocopy protocol to the data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized photocopy protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized photocopy protocol.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein when the comparison and forwarding module opens the communication link, a data file of the incoming data is stored in the memory.

20. The device of claim 10, wherein the standardized communication protocol is other than a TCP/IP protocol component.