Method and system for monitoring a selected region of an airspace associated with local area networks of computing devices

A method for monitoring at least a part of an airspace associated with a network of computing devices, the method comprising:

• providing a network to be protected, the network being associated with at least a part of an airspace;
• using a security policy associated with the network, the security policy at least characterizing a first type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be permitted, a second type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be denied, and a third type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be ignored;
• providing one or more sniffer devices, the one or more sniffer devices being spatially disposed to cause at least the part of the airspace to be secured based on at least information associated with the security policy;
• determining if the one or more sniffer devices substantially cover at least the part of the airspace to be secured;
• monitoring at least a wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace using the one or more sniffer devices, the wireless activity being associated with at least a wireless device other than the one or more sniffer devices;
• performing a connectivity test to determine information associated with a connectivity status of the wireless device to the network to be protected;
• and
• determining whether the monitored wireless activity is permitted, denied, or ignored based on at least the information associated with the connectivity status of the wireless device to the network to be protected and information associated with the security policy.

A method for monitoring at least a part of an airspace associated with a network of computing devices, the method comprising:

• providing a network to be protected, the network being associated with at least a part of an airspace within a vicinity of a selected geographic region;
• using a security policy associated with the network, the security policy at least characterizing a first type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be permitted, a second type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be denied, and a third type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be ignored;
• providing one or more sniffer devices, the one or more sniffer devices being spatially disposed to cause at least the part of the airspace to be secured based on at least information associated with the security policy;
• using a computer model of the selected geographic region;
• inputting information associated with the one or more sniffer devices to the computer model of the selected geographic region, the information including at least location information associated with the one or more sniffer devices;
• using a radio signal propagation model;
• computing information associated with a radio coverage for the one or more sniffer devices based on at least information associated with the computer model of the selected geographic region, the inputted information, and information associated with the radio signal propagation model;
• displaying one or more regions associated with the computed radio coverage in relation to a layout of the selected geographic region on a display device to determine whether the one or more sniffer devices substantially cover at least the part of the airspace to be secured;
• monitoring at least a wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace using the one or more sniffer devices;
• and
• determining whether the monitored wireless activity is permitted, denied, or ignored based on at least information associated with the security policy, the security policy at least characterizing the first type of wireless activity to be permitted, the second type of wireless activity to be denied, and the third type of wireless activity to be ignored.

A method for monitoring at least a part of an airspace associated with a network of computing devices, the method comprising:

• providing a network to be protected, the network being associated with at least a part of an airspace within a vicinity of a selected geographic region;
• using a security policy associated with the network, the security policy at least characterizing a first type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be permitted, a second type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be denied, and a third type of wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace to be ignored;
• providing one or more sniffer devices, the one or more sniffer devices being spatially disposed to cause at least the part of the airspace to be secured based on at least information associated with the security policy;
• using a computer model of the selected geographic region;
• inputting information associated with the one or more sniffer devices to the computer model of the selected geographic region, the information including at least location information associated with the one or more sniffer devices;
• using a radio signal propagation model;
• computing a signal strength model based on at least the computer model of the selected geographic region, the inputted information, and information associated with the radio signal propagation model, the signal strength model including signal strength characteristics associated with the one or more sniffer devices at a plurality of locations within the selected geographic region;
• computing information associated with a radio coverage for the one or more sniffer devices based on at least the signal strength model;
• displaying one or more regions associated with the computed radio coverage in relation to a layout of the selected geographic region on a display device to determine whether the one or more sniffers substantially cover at least the part of the airspace to be secured;
• monitoring at least a wireless activity in at least the part of the airspace using the one or more sniffer devices, the wireless activity being associated with at least a first wireless device other than the one or more sniffer devices;
• performing a connectivity test to determine information associated with a connectivity status of the first wireless device to the network to be protected;
• determining whether the monitored wireless activity is permitted, denied, or ignored based on at least the information associated with the connectivity status of the first wireless device to the network to be protected;
• initiating a prevention process in response to the monitored wireless activity being determined as denied, the prevention process being directed to create hindrance to the monitored wireless activity;
• measuring one or more received signal strengths associated with at least one wireless signal related to the monitored wireless activity at one or more of the one or more sniffer devices, the at least one wireless signal being provided by a transmitter;
• determining information associated with a physical location of the transmitter based on at least information related to the signal strength model and the measured one or more received signal strengths.

A method for preventing undesirable wireless communication in local area network of computing devices, the method comprising:

• providing a network to be protected;
• using a wireless security policy associated with the network to be protected, the wireless security policy at least characterizing a first type of wireless activity associated with a rouge access point device as denied, a second type of wireless activity between an authorized wireless station and an external access point device as denied, and a third type of wireless activity between a neighbor's wireless station and an external access point as ignored;
• detecting at least a wireless activity using one or more sniffer devices, the wireless activity being associated with a first access point device;
• performing a connectivity test to determine information associated with a connectivity status of the first access point device to the network to be protected;
• classifying the first access point device as one of at least the rogue access point device and the external access point device;
• determining whether the detected wireless activity is denied or ignored based on at least the wireless security policy and the classifying the first access point device;
• and
• initiating a prevention process in response to the detected wireless activity being determined as denied, the prevention process being directed to create hindrance to the detected wireless activity.