Validating de-authentication requests

A method for validating a de-authentication request, the method comprising:

• receiving the de-authentication request by a first wireless device;
• and
• determining whether the de-authentication request is invalid based on receipt of two or more responses to a timing request sent by the first wireless device in response to the de-authentication request, wherein only one response is expected, and wherein the two or more responses include an address of a second wireless device, and at least one response of the two or more responses to the timing request includes a confirmation of transmitting the de-authentication request, the confirmation received from one of the second wireless device and a third wireless device, and at least one response of the two or more responses to the timing request includes a denial of transmitting the de-authentication request, the denial received (i) from the second wireless device if the confirmation is received from the third wireless device or (ii) from the third wireless device if the confirmation is received from the second wireless device.

An apparatus for validating a de-authentication request, the apparatus comprising:

• a wireless controller module stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including instructions that when executed cause the apparatus to receive the de-authentication request and determine whether the de-authentication request is invalid based on the wireless controller module's receipt of two or more responses to a timing request sent by the wireless controller module in response to the de-authentication request, wherein only one response is expected, and wherein the two or more responses include an address of a first station, and at least one response of the two or more responses to the timing request includes a confirmation of transmitting the de-authentication request, the confirmation received from one of the first station and a second station, and at least one response of the two or more responses to the timing request includes a denial of transmitting the de-authentication request, the denial received (i) from the first station if the confirmation is received from second station or (ii) from the second station if the confirmation is received from the first station.