US 7,339,914 B2Granted

Automated sniffer apparatus and method for monitoring computer systems for unauthorized access

AssigneeAirTight Networks, Inc.

InventorsPravin Bhagwat, Shantanu Gogate, David C. King

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Abstract

An apparatus for wireless communication including an automated intrusion detection process is provided. The apparatus has a portable housing, which may have a length no greater than 1 meter, a width no greater than 1 meter, and a height of no greater than 1 meter. A processing unit (e.g., CPU) is within the housing. One or more wireless network interface devices are within the housing and are coupled to the processing unit. The apparatus has an Ethernet (or like) network interface device within the housing and coupled to the processing unit. A network connector is coupled to the Ethernet network device. One or more memories are coupled to the processing unit. A code is directed to perform a process for detection of a wireless activity within a selected local geographic region. According to a specific embodiment, the wireless activity is derived from at least one authorized device or at least an other device. A code is directed to receiving at least identity information associated with the wireless activity from the detection process in a classification process. A code is directed to labeling the identity information into at least one of a plurality of categories in the classification process. Depending upon the embodiment, other codes may exist to carry out the functionality described herein.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for monitoring for unauthorized wireless access to computer networks, the method comprising:

receiving a list of one or more wireless access point devices which are allowed to be connected to a computer network within a selected geographic region;
monitoring wireless communications within the selected geographic region using one or more sniffer devices to at least detect an active wireless access point device that transmits wireless signals within the selected geographic region, the one or more sniffer devices being spatially disposed within the selected geographic region;
determining that the active wireless access point device is not among the one or more wireless access point devices which are allowed to be connected to the computer network within the selected geographic region;
transferring a plurality of marker packets into the computer network, the plurality of marker packets being adapted to be transferred to wireless medium within the selected geographic region from the computer network through one or more wireless access point devices which are actually connected to the computer network and which are configured to function as layer two bridges between their wired and wireless interfaces, the plurality of marker packets having a predetermined format, at least a subset of the one or more sniffer devices being configured to be able to identify at least a portion of the predetermined format, the transferring being actively transferring at least for a process of detection of unauthorized wireless access to the computer network;
processing using at least one of the at least the subset of the one or more sniffer devices at least a portion of the monitored wireless communications within the selected geographic region, the processing being directed to at least identifying at least one of the plurality of marker packets being actually transferred from the computer network to the wireless medium within the selected geographic region through the active wireless access point device, the processing including identifying the at least the portion of the predetermined format within at least one of one or more packets included in the at least the portion of the monitored wireless communications;
and
determining that the active wireless access point device provides unauthorized wireless access to the computer network based at least upon the at least one of the plurality of marker packets being identified as transferred from the computer network to the wireless medium within the selected geographic region through the active wireless access point device and the determining that the active wireless access point device is not among the one or more wireless access point devices which are allowed to be connected to the computer network.

4 more elements

An apparatus for monitoring for unauthorized wireless access to computer networks, the apparatus comprising:

a wired network interface and a first portion of computer memory coupled to the wired network interface, wherein
the first portion of computer memory including:
a computer code for actively transferring a plurality of marker packets into a computer network using the wired network interface for performing a process of detection of unauthorized wireless access to the computer network, the plurality of marker packets being adapted to be transferred to wireless medium from the computer network through one or more wireless access point devices which are connected to the computer network and which are configured to function as layer two bridges between their wired and wireless interfaces, a predetermined format being associated with the plurality of marker packets;
and
a wireless network interface and a second portion of computer memory coupled to the wireless network interface, wherein
the second portion of computer memory including:
a computer code for processing a first portion of wireless communications received using the wireless network interface to at least detect an active wireless access point device;
and
a computer code for processing a second portion of wireless communications received using the wireless network interface to identify at least one marker packet from the plurality of marker packets that is transferred to the wireless medium from the computer network through the active wireless access point device;
and
a third portion of computer memory including a computer code for determining that the active wireless access point device is not among a list of one or more wireless access point devices that are allowed to be connected to the computer network;
and
a forth portion of computer memory including a computer code for generating an indication of unauthorized access to the computer network based at least upon the at least one marker packet being identified and the determining that the active wireless access point device is not among a list of one or more wireless access point devices that are allowed to be connected to the computer network.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/931,585Filed 31 Aug 2004 · us provisional application
Priority: 11 Feb 2004
Published: US 2005/0259611 A124 Nov 2005
Granted: 4 Mar 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04L 43/00
Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
G06F 21/55
Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems: detecting local…
H04L 63/1416
By monitoring network traffic: event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
H04L 69/161
Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]: implementation…