Contextual signaling system 7 (ss7) firewall and associated method of use
AssigneeSyniverse Technologies, LLC
InventorsKaran Mehra, James F. Evans, Jon Sexson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contextual SS7 firewall filter is inserted between a network operator and its roaming partners intra network and inter network SS7 traffic. SS7 firewall filter validates GSM MAP and GSM CAP messages based on specific criteria as provisioned for those message types and either allows them or blocks them from reaching their intended destination based on the validation results. The validation step involves verification of MSU correctness, verification of correctness of SS7 MTP fields for each MSU, and verification of correctness of SS7 SCCP fields for each MSU. SS7 firewall filter blocks GSM messages that fail at least one of the verification steps.
Claims20
A method for Signaling System 7 (SS7) routing and firewall filtering, the method comprising:
- validating, by an SS7 contextual firewall filter executed by the processor, Message Signaling Unit (MSU) contents of a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) message received from an SS7 network operator, wherein the GSM message comprises a true destination;
- and
- validating, by the SS7 contextual firewall filter executed by the processor, MSU correctness of the GSM message.
A Signaling System 7 (SS7) gateway for routing and firewall filtering, the gateway comprising:
- an SS7 contextual firewall filter implemented using computing hardware, wherein the firewall filter is configured for;
- receiving a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) message from an SS7 network operator, wherein the GSM message comprises a true destination;
- validating, by the SS7 contextual firewall filter executed by the processor, Message Signaling Unit (MSU) contents of the GSM message;
- and
- validating, by the SS7 contextual firewall filter executed by the processor, MSU correctness of the GSM message.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor that executes an SS7 contextual firewall filter, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- validating Message Signaling Unit (MSU) contents of a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) message received from an SS7 network operator, wherein the GSM message comprises a true destination;
- and
- validating MSU correctness of the GSM message.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.