# US 10,873,659 B2 · Method and apparatus for securing voice over IP telephone device

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- Number: US 10,873,659 B2
- Document ID: US10873659B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/258,723
- Filed: 2019-01-28
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-27
- Assignees: High Sec Labs Ltd.
- Applicants: High Sec Labs Ltd.
- Inventors: Aviv Soffer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873659B2

## CPC

- H04M 1/68: Circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping
- H04M 1/2535: {adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network (Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16)}
- H04M 1/82: Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination {(for detecting caller identity H04M1/573)}
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

A security implant device and a method of operation of the security implant, for securing Voice over IP (VoIP) phone, the implant device disables audio input and output components of the VoIP phone in order to prevent audio eavesdropping.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A security implant for a telephone comprising an off-hook switch comprising on-hook and off-hook states, the telephone comprising:
a handset, the handset comprising a microphone;
a handset microphone audio mute switching function to securely disable the microphone in the handset when the handset off-hook switch is in an on-hook state; and
electronic circuitry coupled to said telephone off-hook switch at one side and to the mute switching function on the other side in response to an event to enable event-controlled synchronization between the on-hook and off-hook states and the audio mute switching function, an event comprising at least an off-hook event.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising an additional mute switching function to disable a telephone base microphone when not knowingly selected by the user through an off-hook signal and at the same time call in progress LED is illuminated.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising an additional audio mute switching function to disable a handset headphone element when knowingly selected by the user through off-hook signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising of an additional audio mute switching function to disable a telephone base speaker when not knowingly selected by the user through one of the following enabling events that were detected by the said electronic circuit:
a. the telephone base speaker was selected by the user through speaker-phone function and at the same time off-hook switch is detected to be in the off-hook state; or
b. telephone ringing detected by said electronic circuitry by detection of signals selectable from the group consisting of: audio ringing signal; and ringing Light Emitting Diode driving signal is asserted.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising an additional audio mute switching function to disable a telephone headset microphone when not knowingly selected by the user through off-hook switch in off-hook state and at the same time call in progress Light Emitting Diode driving signal is asserted.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising an additional audio mute switching function to disable a telephone headset headphone element when not knowingly selected by the user through off hook switch state is off-hook and at the same time call in progress Light Emitting Diode driving signal is asserted.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising an additional audio data diode between a telephone audio amplifier output and a handset headphone element to prevent audio eavesdropping through said handset headphone element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising an additional audio data diode connected between a telephone audio amplifier output and a base speaker to prevent audio eavesdropping through said base speaker.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising an additional audio data diode connected between a telephone headset audio amplifier output and a headset headphone element to prevent audio eavesdropping through said headset headphone element.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, wherein security functions of the security implant are monitored and controlled by an electronic device selectable from the group consisting of: microcontroller; Application-Specific Integrated Circuit; Field-Programmable Gate Array; and Programmable Logic Device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein said electronic device is having a Universal Serial Bus interface with external connection to allow host Universal Serial Bus device to connect to that function for data import and export.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein said electronic device further comprising a non-volatile memory to enable storage of security implant data selectable from the group consisting of: firmware, configuration and log.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The security implant of claim 12, wherein said electronic device is coupled through a switch function to an external phone interface selectable form the list consisting of: headset interface, and headphone interface via a Registered Jack 11 to Universal Serial Bus Type A plug cable.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein said electronic device is programmed to detect pre-programmed on-off-hook switch activation patterns by measuring switch events timing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein said electronic device drives at least one Light Emitting Diode to provide user indications when the telephone is in a secure state.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein the security implant is coupled to a telephone flash to provide write protection for said telephone flash, unless a telephone flash write operation is specifically allowed by the implant.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The security implant of claim 16, wherein the telephone flash write operations of said telephone flash are enabled only when user with proper credentials authenticated with a management Personal Computer connected to the security implant via a Universal Serial Bus cable.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein implant is further comprising of an active anti-tampering function having at least one tampering sensor and battery for power backup to enable detection of physical tampering event and to irreversibly and permanently disable the Voice-Over Internet Protocol telephone device operation after being triggered.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, further comprising at least one Tamper Evident Label coupled to a telephone enclosure in order to provide evidence in case of attempted physical tampering.

### Claim 20 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein the security implant functions are added after telephone production in the form of at least one Printed Circuit Board Assembly, wired through means selectable from the group consisting of: existing phone cables; new cables; and connectors and cable that fit in the phone existing connectors.

### Claim 21 (depends on 10)

The security implant of claim 10, wherein the security implant functions are embedded in a telephone device design during production in one or more of the telephone Printed Circuit Board Assemblies.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, wherein the telephone is a Voice Over Internet Protocol telephone.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, wherein the telephone is not a Voice Over Internet Protocol telephone.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional indicator, wherein said additional indicator is controlled by the security implant to indicate status of the security implant.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The security implant of claim 24, wherein said at least one additional indicator is a Light Emitting Diode.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The security implant of claim 24, wherein said at least one additional indicator is a multi-color Light Emitting Diode.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The security implant of claim 1, further comprising a replacement hook switch.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The security implant of claim 27, wherein said replacement hook switch replaces the original hook switch of the phone.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The security implant of claim 28, wherein the implant comprises a replacement handset cradle integrated with said replacement hook switch to replace the original handset cradle of the phone.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The security implant of claim 28, wherein the implant is integrated into said replacement handset cradle.