US 6,308,276 B1 · SS7 firewall system

Abstract

A system for controlling Signaling System #7 (“SS7”) message traffic by defining a message control policy for SS7 signaling links and accepting, modifying, responding to, or rejecting SS7 signaling messages according to the defined control policy is disclosed. The control policy is composed of a set of access rules that are loaded onto one or more firewalls located at strategic points in a SS7 network. The firewalls use the access rules as the basis for examining each SS7 message a signaling node transmits or receives on a signaling link and determining whether or not to pass, modify, respond to, or reject the message. The system includes a graphical user interface for providing configuration information, as well as information as to the current and past states of the message traffic of a signaling node.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus for controlling and securing Signaling System 7 (“SS7”) message traffic between a first and a second Signaling Point (SP) in an SS7 network, the apparatus comprising:

a firewall connected between the first and second Signaling Points (“SPs”) for controlling ingress and egress of the SS7 message traffic to and from the SPs and logging security events in accordance with a control policy;
and
a control and management device connected to the firewall via a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (“TCP/IP”) link, the control and management device for storing and displaying event logs, alerting a system administrator to security events, and storing programming control policy rules.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

SS7 firewall system

Life of this patent

SS7 firewall system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24