Systems and methods for detecting and interfering with compromised devices and unauthorized device relocation in a communication network
AssigneeMaxxian Technology Inc.
InventorRene JUNEAU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting and interfering with compromised devices and unauthorized device relocation in a communication network are disclosed. The described embodiments may be deployed in a content delivery network where receivers have been compromised in a manner that renders the conditional access system (CAS) inoperative at controlling the receivers' ability to receive content. In some embodiments, alternate commands not protected by the CAS system may be used to detect hacked devices and interdict same. In some embodiments, service devices in the content delivery network may allow for detection of unauthorized device relocation.
Claims27
A method of detecting a pirated computing device in a content delivery network, the method comprising:
- identifying a computing device, the computing device being associated with a secure element configured to receive protected commands from a control server, and wherein the secure element is unresponsive to the protected commands;
- transmitting an alternate command to the computing device, the alternate command being different from any command of the protected commands that the secure element is configured to receive from the control server;
- receiving a response to the transmitted alternate command from the computing device;
- and
- determining that the computing device is pirated based on the computing device providing a response to the alternate command when the secure element associated with the computing device is unresponsive to the commands from the control server.
A method of detecting a pirated computing device in a content delivery network, the method comprising:
- retrieving a device data record from a computing device, the device data record having first information that corresponds to second information stored on a service device of the content delivery network;
- comparing the first information from the device data record to the second information stored on the service device of the content delivery network;
- and
- determining that the computing device is pirated if the first information from the device data record is inconsistent with the second information stored on the service device on the content delivery network.
A method of detecting a pirated computing device in a content delivery network, the method comprising:
- transmitting a command addressed for receipt by any computing device having a specified device address, wherein upon receipt, the command causes one or more computing devices to transmit a communication;
- analyzing the communication emanating from a corresponding one or more computing devices having received the transmitted command;
- determining that at least one of the one or more computing devices receiving the transmitted command is a pirated computing device if characteristics of the one or more communications caused by the transmitted command are outside of predetermined parameters for communications caused by the transmitted command.
The method of 14, wherein the predetermined parameters for communications caused by the transmitted command is that a single communication will be caused by the transmitted command, and wherein the one or more communications caused by the transmitted command comprises two communications.
The method of 14, wherein the predetermined parameters for communications caused by the transmitted command is that the one or more communications would emanate from a single network segment, and wherein the one or more communications caused by the transmitted command emanate from more than one network segment.
A method of confirming unauthorized relocation of a computing device in a content delivery network, the method comprising:
- identifying a location of the computing device;
- determining that the location of the computing device is different from an expected location of the computing device;
- reading records of a subscriber management server, the records being associated with the computing device;
- determining if the records indicate there that relocation of the computing device from the expected location to the identified location is a result of legitimate activity;
- if the relocation of the computing device from the expected location to the identified location is determined not to be the result of legitimate activity, identifying that the computing device being relocated from the expected location to the identified location is an unauthorized relocation.
The method of 20, wherein the expected location of the computing device is determined from a household identifier associated with an account associated with the computing device stored on the subscriber management server.
An inspection device comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform the operations comprising:
- identifying a computing device, the computing device being associated with a secure element configured to receive protected commands from a control server, and wherein the secure element is unresponsive to the protected commands;
- transmitting an alternate command to the computing device, the alternate command being different from any command of the protected commands that the secure element is configured to receive from the control server;
- receiving a response to the transmitted alternate command from the computing device;
- and
- determining that the computing device is pirated based on the computing device providing a response to the alternate command when the secure element associated with the computing device is unresponsive to the commands from the control server.
A computer readable medium storing instructions for execution by a processor of an inspection device, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising:
- identifying a computing device, the computing device being associated with a secure element configured to receive protected commands from a control server, and wherein the secure element is unresponsive to the protected commands;
- transmitting an alternate command to the computing device, the alternate command being different from any command of the protected commands that the secure element is configured to receive from the control server;
- receiving a response to the transmitted alternate command from the computing device;
- and
- determining that the computing device is pirated based on the computing device providing a response to the alternate command when the secure element associated with the computing device is unresponsive to the commands from the control server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.