System for and method of securing a network utilizing credentials

• US 20070274315A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maxsp Corporation
• Inventors: Keith, Robert O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,811,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/663 Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0254 Stateful filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks

Abstract

A system for and method of securing a network are described herein. A receiving device listens for packets with proper credentials. If a transmitting device sends the correct credentials, the receiving device will respond with an acknowledgment and further data is able to be transmitted. However, if the transmitting device does not send a packet with the proper credentials, then the receiving device will drop the packet and not respond. Thus, the transmitting device will be unaware of the presence of the receiving device, in particular when hackers are using scanning software to locate target devices.

Claims

1. A method of increasing network security comprising:

a. transmitting a packet from a first device to a second device;

b. receiving a packet at the second device from the first device;

c. verifying the packet for proper credentials; and

d. sending an acknowledgment from the second device to the first device only if the proper credentials are verified.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first device is a client and the second device is a server.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first device is a server and the second device is a client.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising dropping the packet if the proper credentials are not verified.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a protocol for receiving the packet is similar to or the same as User Datagram Protocol.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a protocol for sending an acknowledgment is similar to or the same as Transmission Control Protocol.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device are coupled by a network.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the network is the Internet.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the network is an intranet.

10. A method of increasing network security comprising:

a. transmitting a packet from a first device to a second device;

b. receiving a packet at the second device from the first device;

c. verifying the packet for proper credentials;

d. sending an acknowledgment from the second device to the first device only if the proper credentials are verified; and

e. dropping the packet if the proper credentials are not verified.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first device is a client and the second device is a server.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first device is a server and the second device is a client.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein a protocol for receiving the packet is similar to or the same as User Datagram Protocol.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein a protocol for sending an acknowledgment is similar to or the same as Transmission Control Protocol.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first device and the second device are coupled by a network.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the network is the Internet.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the network is an intranet.

18. A system for increasing network security comprising:

a. one or more first devices for transmitting a packet;

b. one or more second devices for receiving the packet, wherein the one or more second devices are coupled to the one or more first devices through a network; and

c. a set of credentials within the packet for verification, wherein the one or more second devices send an acknowledgment back to the one or more first devices only if the set of credentials are verified.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the first device is a client and the second device is a server.

20. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the first device is a server and the second device is a client.

21. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the one or more second devices drop the packet if the set of credentials are not verified.

22. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein a protocol for receiving the packet is similar to or the same as User Datagram Protocol.

23. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein a protocol for sending an acknowledgment is similar to or the same as Transmission Control Protocol.

24. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the network is the Internet.

25. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the network is an intranet.

26. A network of devices for increasing network security comprising:

a. one or more client devices for transmitting a packet;

b. one or more server devices for receiving the packet, wherein the one or more server devices are coupled to the one or more client devices through a network; and

c. a set of credentials within the packet for verification, wherein the one or more server devices send an acknowledgment back to the one or more client devices only if the set of credentials are verified.

27. The network of devices as claimed in claim 26 wherein the one or more server devices drop the packet if the set of credentials are not verified.

28. The network of devices as claimed in claim 26 wherein a protocol for receiving the packet is similar to or the same as User Datagram Protocol.

29. The network of devices as claimed in claim 26 wherein a protocol for sending an acknowledgment is similar to or the same as Transmission Control Protocol.

30. The network of devices as claimed in claim 26 wherein the network is the Internet.

31. The network of devices as claimed in claim 26 wherein the network is an intranet.

32. A packet for increasing network security comprising:

a. data; and

b. a set of credentials,

wherein the set of credentials are analyzed by a receiving device such that the receiving device sends an acknowledgment back only if the set of credentials are valid.

33. The packet as claimed in claim 32 wherein the set of credentials are selected from the group consisting of a key, a code and a signature.

34. The packet as claimed in claim 32 wherein the set of credentials are stored within a header.

35. The packet as claimed in claim 32 wherein the set of credentials are stored within a wrapper.

36. The packet as claimed in claim 32 wherein the set of credentials are encrypted.

37. The packet as claimed in claim 32 wherein the packet is substantially similar to a User Datagram Protocol packet.