Restricting mobile device services between an occurrence of an account change and acquisition of a security code

• US 9,015,808 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Koller, Gary Duane, Reeves, Raymond Emilio, Youngs, Simon, Peden, Mark Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, David
• Application Number:
  US13/546,786
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for restricting mobile device services between an occurrence of an account change and an acquisition of a security code. The method includes recognizing that a low level of security is in effect in association with a user device, or a set of credentials associated therewith. In accordance with the low level of security, an indication is provided to restrict one or more services initially provided for the user device, or the set of credentials associated therewith. In addition, an indication is provided to initiate an authentication event. Performance of such an authentication event results in the user device, or the set of credentials associated therewith, obtaining a security code that results in application of an increased level of security in effect in association with the user device, or the set of credentials associated therewith.

Claims

1. A system for restricting mobile device services between an occurrence of an account change and an acquisition of a security code, the system comprising:

a service restrictor configured to;

recognize a change in status of a user device, wherein the change in status comprises one or more of a device swap, an account change, a low security implementation, or a lack of a security code;

provide an indication to restrict one or more voice or data services for the user device in response to the recognition of the change in status, and

provide an indication to initiate authentication for the user device within a wireless telecommunications network; and

a notification component configured to receive the indication to initiate authentication for the user device and, in response, initiate authentication for the user device by placing a voice call to the user device or communicating an authentication notification to the user device prompting a user of the user device to initiate a voice call.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the security code comprises a secured secret data (SSD) value.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the service restrictor recognizes the change in status of the user device based on referencing a security indicator associated with the user device that indicates a low security implementation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the service restrictor recognizes the change in status of the user device based on referencing a security indicator associated with the user device that indicates a valid secured secret data value does not currently exist for the user device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the security indicator is provided from a home location register that stores a status of whether the valid secured secret data value currently exists for the user device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the home location register updates the status of whether the valid secured secret data value currently exists for the user device when a device swap or user account change is detected.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the service restrictor identifies the one or more voice or data services to restrict.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein after the authentication of the user device occurs, the service restrictor is further configured to

recognize an indication of authentication associated with the user device;

and

provide an indication to unrestrict the one or more voice or data services for the user device based on the indication of authentication.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the service restrictor recognizes that the security code is associated with the user device based on referencing a security indicator associated with the user device that indicates a valid secured secret data value does exist for the user device, the security indicator being provided from a home location register that stores a status of whether the valid secured secret data value currently exists for the user device.

10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for restricting mobile device services between an occurrence of an account change and an acquisition of a security code, the method comprising:

recognizing a change in status of a user device, wherein the change in status comprises one or more of a device swap, an account change, a low security implementation, or a lack of a security code;

providing an indication to restrict one or more voice or data services for the user device in response to the recognition of the change in status; and

providing an indication to initiate authentication for the user device within a wireless telecommunications network, wherein initiating authentication for the user device is performed by placing a voice call to the user device or communicating an authentication notification to the user device prompting a user of the user device to initiate a voice call.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the security code comprises a secured secret data (SSD) value.

12. The media of claim 10, wherein recognizing the change in status of the user device further comprises referencing a security indicator associated with the user device that indicates a low security implementation.

13. The media of claim 10, wherein recognizing the change in status of the user device further comprises referencing a security indicator associated with the user device that indicates a valid secured secret data value does not currently exist for the user device.

14. The media of claim 13, further comprising providing the security indicator from a home location register that stores a status of whether the valid secured secret data value currently exists for the user device.

15. The media of claim 14, further comprising updating the status of whether the valid secured secret data value currently exists for the user device in response to detection of a device swap or user account change.

16. The media of claim 10, further comprising identifying the one or more voice or data services to restrict.

17. A method for restricting mobile device services between an occurrence of an status change and an authentication event, the method comprising:

recognizing a change in status of a user device, wherein the change in status comprises one or more of a device swap, an account change, a low security implementation, or a lack of a security code;

based on the recognition of the change in status of the user device, providing an indication to restrict one or more voice or data services for the user device; and

providing an indication to initiate an authentication event, wherein initiation of the authentication event results in placement of a voice call to the user device or communicating an authentication notification to the user device prompting a user of the user device to initiate a voice call.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a change in status further includes an indication that one or more credentials of the user device has been reset.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an indication of the performance of the authentication event.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing an indication to unrestrict the one or more voice or data services for the user device based on the indication of performance of the authentication event.