Airborne wireless device security

• US 9,083,738 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sampigethaya, Radhakrishna G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Jung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong M
• Application Number:
  US14/282,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20140259111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/302 gathering intelligence information for situation awareness or reconnaissance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing wireless devices on an aircraft. A map for a number of wireless devices on the aircraft is generated. The number of wireless devices is identified in a profile. A risk for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft is identified during operation of the aircraft using state information for the aircraft and the profile. Access to a wireless network on the aircraft by the number of wireless devices is managed based on the risk identified for the number of wireless devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless device management system comprising one or more of hardware and non-transitory software configured to;

generate a map for a number of wireless devices on an aircraft in which the number of wireless devices is identified in a profile, wherein the map comprises graphical indicators, wherein the profile comprises a number of entries, wherein each entry in the number of entries comprises device properties for a wireless device in the number of wireless devices on the aircraft and a passenger identifier;

identify a risk of a threat that the wireless device in the number of wireless devices on the aircraft accesses a networked physical weapon on the aircraft during operation of the aircraft using state information for the aircraft and the profile; and

manage access to a wireless network on the aircraft by the number of wireless devices based on the risk of the threat identified that the wireless device in the number of wireless devices on the aircraft accesses the networked physical weapon during the operation of the aircraft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device management system is further configured to build the profile for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device management system builds the profile for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft prior to a flight of the aircraft.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device management system is configured to identify each wireless device in the number of wireless devices that is in an on state to form a group of switched on wireless devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein in identifying the each wireless device in the number of wireless devices that is in the on state to form the group of switched on wireless devices, the wireless device management system identifies the risk of the threat that a particular switched on wireless device in the group of switched on wireless devices on the aircraft accesses the networked physical weapon, forming an identification;

wherein the identification uses the state information for the aircraft and the profile; and

wherein the wireless device management system is further configured to;

initiate an action based on the risk of the threat identified that the particular switched on wireless device in the group of switched on wireless devices on the aircraft accesses the networked physical weapon.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the action comprises at least one of taking no action, preventing communications by the group of switched on wireless devices, preventing a selected type of communications by the group of switched on wireless devices, and preventing communications of the particular switched on device in the group of switched on devices based on a location of the particular switched on device on the aircraft.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device management system is further configured to:

determine whether an action is needed based on the risk; and

responsive to determining that the action is needed, initiate the action.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein to generate the map for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft, the wireless device management system uses at least one of a passenger seat assignment, a cargo placement, and a detection of a device in an on state on the aircraft.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device management system, responsive to detecting a new wireless device on the aircraft, identifies a location of the new wireless device on the aircraft;

and adds the new wireless device to the map.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device management system is further configured to update the map during the operation of the aircraft to reflect changes in a location of the wireless device in the number of wireless devices on the aircraft.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless device management system comprising one or more of hardware and non-transitory software configured to;

build a profile for a number of wireless devices on a platform;

generate a map of the number of wireless devices on the platform, wherein the map comprises graphical indicators on a representation of the platform indicating locations of the number of wireless devices on the platform; and

identify a risk of a threat that a wireless device in the number of wireless devices on the platform accesses a networked physical weapon, forming an identification, wherein the identification uses state information for the platform and the profile.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the profile comprises a number of entries;

each entry in the number of entries comprises device properties for the wireless device in the number of wireless devices on the platform and a passenger identifier; and

the representation of the platform comprises a representation of an interior of the platform.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the wireless device management system is further configured to:

manage access to a wireless network on the platform by the wireless device in the number of wireless devices based on the risk of the threat identified that the wireless device in the number of wireless devices accesses the networked physical weapon.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the wireless device management system manages the access to the wireless network on the platform by:

identifying each wireless device in the number of wireless devices that is in an on state to form a group of switched on wireless devices;

identifying the risk of the threat that a particular switched on wireless device in the group of switched on wireless devices on the platform accesses the networked physical weapon, forming an identification, wherein the identification uses the state information for the platform and the profile; and

initiating, by the wireless device management system, an action based on the risk of the threat identified that the particular switched on wireless device in the group of switched on wireless devices on the platform accesses the networked physical weapon.

15. A method for managing communications by a number of wireless devices, the method comprising:

generating a map for the number of wireless devices on an aircraft in which the number of wireless devices is identified in a profile, wherein;

the map comprises graphical indicators;

the profile comprises a number of entries;

each entry in the number of entries comprises device properties for a wireless device in the number of wireless devices on the aircraft and a passenger identifier; and

the map and the profile are generated by a wireless device management system comprising one or more of hardware and non-transitory software;

identifying, by the wireless device management system, a risk for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft during operation of the aircraft using state information for the aircraft and the profile; and

managing, by the wireless device management system, access to a wireless network on the aircraft by the number of wireless devices based on the risk identified for the number of wireless devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the risk for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft comprises a risk of a threat that the wireless device in the number of wireless devices accesses a networked physical weapon on the aircraft; and

the graphical indicators are on a representation of an interior of the aircraft indicating locations of the number of wireless devices on the aircraft.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

building, by the wireless device management system, the profile for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of building the profile for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft is performed prior to a flight of the aircraft.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of managing the access to the wireless network on the aircraft comprises:

identifying, by the wireless device management system, each wireless device in the number of wireless devices that is in an on state to form a group of switched on wireless devices;

identifying, by the wireless device management system, the risk for the group of switched on wireless devices on the aircraft using the state information for the aircraft and the profile; and

initiating, by the wireless device management system, an action based on the risk identified for the group of switched on devices.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the action comprises at least one of taking no action, preventing communications by the group of switched on wireless devices, preventing a selected type of communications by the group of switched on wireless devices, preventing communications of a particular switched on device in the group of switched on devices based on a location of the particular switched on device on the aircraft.