System and method for providing variable security level in a wireless communication system

• US 8,135,953 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reznik, Alexander, Zhang, Guodong, Chitrapu, Prabhakar R., Shin, Sung-Hyuk, Tsai, Yingming, Kumoluyi, Akinlolu Oloruntosi
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, BRANDON S
• Application Number:
  US12/645,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20100122085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/67 Risk-dependent, e.g. selecting a security level depending on risk profiles

Abstract

A system and method for providing variable security levels in a wireless communication network. The present invention optimizes the often conflicting demands of highly secure wireless communications and high speed wireless communications. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, various security sensors are scanned to determine the likely presence of an intruder within a predetermined trust zone. If an intruder is likely present, the security level is changed to the highest setting, and consequently a lower data rate, while the intruder is identified. If the identified intruder is in fact a trusted node, the security level is returned to a lower setting. If the identified intruder is not a trusted node, the security level is maintained at an elevated state while the intruder is within the trust zone.

Claims

1. A method for providing variable level security comprising:

detecting the presence of an intruder wireless device within a trust zone, the trust zone, at a first security level, including at least one trusted device; and

on the condition that the intruder wireless device was detected, establishing a second security level that is more secure than the first security level, wherein a security level at the at least one trusted device is increased from the first security level to the second security level.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second security level includes increasing a bit length of an encryption key that uses symmetric key cryptography.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the key length is increased from 64 bits to 128 bits.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing the second security level includes increasing the frequency at which a public key utilizing asymmetric key cryptography is changed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second security level comprises lowering the security level when the detected intruder wireless device is a trusted device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second security level comprises maintaining an elevated network security level when the detected intruder wireless device is not a trusted device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second security level comprises terminating all communications across the trust zone.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising scanning the trust zone with at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:

infra-red sensors, video monitoring sensors, photo-electric sensors, motion detecting sensors, and audio sensors.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the scanning the trust zone comprises analyzing a channel impulse response.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein scanning the trust zone comprises analyzing at least one of a spatial channel impulse response, a frequency channel impulse response, and a temporal channel impulse response.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising scanning the trust zone with at least one radio frequency sensor selected from the group consisting of:

antennas, and smart antennas.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second security level comprises restricting unencrypted communication.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second security level comprises steering a directional beam to create a null area in the geographic location of the intruder wireless device.