Uniquely identifying a mobile electronic device
DCFirst Claim
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1. A device identification method, comprising:
- receiving baseline configuration information indicative of a first plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a first mobile device and further indicative of at least one electronically accessible property of the first mobile device;
receiving subsequent configuration information indicative of a second plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a second mobile device and further indicative of at least one electronically accessible property of the second mobile device;
determining a similarity between the subsequent configuration information and the subsequent electronically accessible property information of the second mobile device and the baseline configuration information and the baseline electronically accessible property information of the first mobile device; and
responsive to detecting the similarity exceeding a threshold similarity, identifying the second mobile device as the first mobile device.
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Abstract
The Internet is becoming an essential part of our lives. This trend is even stronger with the rise of cell phones having Internet access that almost the entire population carries with them at all times. Security is a huge problem on the Internet, however, and new authentication methods are needed specifically for cell phones. Presented here is a method of identifying a mobile electronic device by its configuration settings, potentially including contact list information. This invention, in particular, fills a crucial need to secure access to the Internet from mobile phones.
24 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device identification method, comprising:
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receiving baseline configuration information indicative of a first plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a first mobile device and further indicative of at least one electronically accessible property of the first mobile device; receiving subsequent configuration information indicative of a second plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a second mobile device and further indicative of at least one electronically accessible property of the second mobile device; determining a similarity between the subsequent configuration information and the subsequent electronically accessible property information of the second mobile device and the baseline configuration information and the baseline electronically accessible property information of the first mobile device; and responsive to detecting the similarity exceeding a threshold similarity, identifying the second mobile device as the first mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device identification server configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:
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accessing baseline configuration information indicative of a first plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a first mobile device and further indicative of at least one electronically accessible property of the first mobile device; accessing subsequent configuration information indicative of a second plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a second mobile device and further indicative of at least one electronically accessible property of the second mobile device; calculating a first edit distance between the subsequent configuration information and the baseline configuration information; calculating a second edit distance between the subsequent electronically accessible property information of the second mobile device and the baseline electronically accessible property information of the first mobile device; and determining, in accordance with a similarity indicated by the edit distances, whether a mobile device associated with the subsequent configuration information is the first mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An authentication method, comprising:
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accessing baseline configuration information and baseline electronically accessible property information determined in accordance with configuration settings and property settings of a first mobile device; accessing subsequent configuration information and subsequent electronically accessible property information determined in accordance with configuration settings and property settings of a second mobile device; calculating a value indicative of a dis-similarity between the subsequent configuration and property information and the baseline configuration and property information; and responsive to the value being less than a threshold similarity, recognizing the second mobile device as the first mobile device.
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Specification