Network device detection and verification protocol

A method of determining whether computer network activity is not spoofed, the method comprising:

• as implemented by a hardware processor of a network security system, receiving a packet at a first time period from a client device associated with a session identifier responsive to the client device accessing a webpage from a content provider;
• determining the session identifier from the packet;
• providing the session identifier to a cellular network provider to determine whether the client device communicated with the content provider via a cellular network;
• receiving an indication from the client network provider that the client device communicated with the content provider via the cellular network;
• generating a digital fingerprint associated with the client device subsequent to receiving the indication that the client device communicated with the content provider via the cellular network;
• and
• storing the digital fingerprint at the client device, wherein the digital fingerprint indicates that the client device is associated with an account at a cellular service provider associated with the cellular network.

A system for determining whether computer network activity is not spoofed, the method comprising:

• a processor coupled to a network security system configured to:
• receive a packet at a first time period from a client device associated with a session identifier responsive to the client device accessing a webpage from a content provider;
• determine the session identifier from the packet;
• provide the session identifier to a cellular network provider to determine whether the client device communicated with the content provider via a cellular network;
• receive an indication from the client network provider that the client device communicated with the content provider via the cellular network;
• generate a digital fingerprint associated with the client device subsequent to receiving the indication that the client device communicated with the content provider via the cellular network;
• and
• store the digital fingerprint at the client device, wherein the digital fingerprint indicates that the client device is associated with an account at a cellular service provider associated with the cellular network.

A method for determining whether computer network activity is spoofed, the method comprising:

• with a processor:
• inspecting packets received by a first network device over a network from a spoofed network device, wherein the packets received from the spoofed network device to identify a unique identifier inserted into the packets at the spoofed network device by browser tag code that is in communication with the first network device;
• querying the spoofed network device for a digital fingerprint indicative of a legitimate network device;
• identifying that the query does not result in receiving the digital fingerprint;
• sending a request to a third-party service along with the unique identifier to obtain an indication of whether the spoofed network device has transmitted the packets through a mobile network or a beacon network;
• and
• subsequent to not receiving an indication from the third-party service that the spoofed network device has transmitted the packets through a mobile network or a beacon network, preventing a delivery of content packets to the spoofed network device.

A method for determining whether computer network activity is spoofed, the method comprising:

• with a first network device configured to receive packets at a first time period over a network from a second network device:
• inspect the packets received from the second network device to identify a unique identifier inserted into the packets at the second network device by browser tag code that is in communication with the first network device;
• query the second network device for a digital fingerprint indicative of a legitimate network device;
• identify that the query does not result in receiving the digital fingerprint;
• send a request to a third-party service along with the unique identifier to obtain an indication of whether the second network device has transmitted the packets through a mobile network or a beacon network;
• and
• subsequent to receiving an indication from the third-party service that the second network device has transmitted the packets through a mobile network or a beacon network, permit a delivery of content packets to the second network device.