US 8,787,576 B2 · System and method for detecting unauthorized wireless access points

Abstract

Unauthorized wireless access points are detected by configuring authorized access points and mobile units to listen to all wireless traffic in its cell and report all detected wireless devices to a monitor. The monitor checks the reported devices against a list of authorized network devices. If the reported wireless device is not an authorized device, the monitor determines if the reported device is connected to the network. If the reported device is connected to the network and is not an authorized device, the monitor alerts the network operator or network manager of a rogue device connected to the network and attempts to locate and isolate the rogue device.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system for detecting an access point, comprising:

a network segment for which no access point is authorized;
and
a network monitor that (a) receives mobile unit identification information from a wireless receiver and (b) receives network traffic from the network segment, wherein the network monitor detectors an unauthorized access point by comparing the network traffic from the network segment with the mobile unit identification information, wherein when the network traffic from the network segment includes the mobile unit identification information it is determined that an unauthorized access point is on the network segment because no access point is authorized on the network segment, wherein the wireless receiver receives the mobile unit identification information from a mobile wireless device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/164,459Filed 20 Jun 2011 · continuation

Priority

28 Jun 2002

Published

US 2011/0314147 A122 Dec 2011

Granted

22 Jul 2014

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04L 63/1408
For detecting or protecting against malicious traffic: by monitoring network traffic
H04L 63/1466
Countermeasures against malicious traffic: active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g.…
H04W 12/122
Wireless intrusion detection systems [WIDS]; Wireless intrusion prevention systems [WIPS]: counter-measures against attacks; Protection against…
H04W 88/08
Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices: access point devices

Family

Application10/184,750Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Jun 2002

US 7,965,842 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Jun 2011

US 2011/0314147 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Dec 2011

US 2004/0003285 A1Published application

US 8,787,576 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

System and method for detecting unauthorized wireless access points

Life of this patent

System and method for detecting unauthorized wireless access points

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14