Back to results
US 9,178,859 B1Granted
Network equipment authentication
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsPaul Ortiz, Shelley Raina, Samip Bhavsar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Presented herein are authentication systems and methodologies for equipment deployed in an operational electronic network. Information about a piece of network-connected equipment is received, wherein the information includes a plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment, wherein the information is obtained via a query to the equipment that produces, as output, the plurality of attribute values. The attribute values are compared to stored values, and when one or more of the attribute values are determined to be outside a range of the stored values, the equipment is designated as non-authentic. Non-authentic equipment may include counterfeit and grey marketed equipment.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- querying a piece of network-connected equipment for a plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment, the plurality of attribute values including first component-specific information identifying components of the equipment, and first location-specific information identifying a present location of the equipment;
- receiving, in response to the querying, information about the piece of network-connected equipment, wherein the information includes the plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment;
- comparing the attribute values to stored values, the stored values including second component-specific information identifying authentic components of the equipment, and second location-specific information identifying a location of where the equipment was known to be installed;
- when one or more of the attribute values corresponding to the first location-specific information are determined not to match the stored values corresponding to the second location-specific information, from the comparing, designating the equipment as non-authentic equipment;
- when one or more of the attribute values corresponding to the first component-specific information are determined not to match the stored values corresponding to the second component-specific information, from the comparing, designating the equipment as non-authentic equipment, wherein the comparing comprises verifying for the first component-specific information that the piece of network-connected equipment, when repaired, was repaired in an authorized repair facility;
- and
- querying the non-authentic equipment for a corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) address and host name, and utilizing the IP address and the host name to determine the location of the non-authentic equipment targeted for replacement.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a memory;
- a network interface;
- and
- a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- query a piece of network-connected equipment for a plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment, the plurality of attribute values including first component-specific information identifying components of the equipment, and first location-specific information identifying a present location of the equipment;
- receive, via the network interface and in response to the query, information about the piece of network-connected equipment, wherein the information includes the plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment;
- compare the attribute values to stored values stored in the memory, the stored values including second component-specific information identifying authentic components of the equipment, and second location-specific information identifying a location of where the equipment was known to be installed;
- designate the equipment as non-authentic equipment when one or more of the attribute values corresponding to the first location-specific information are determined not to match the stored values corresponding to the second location-specific information, from the comparing;
- designate the equipment as non-authentic equipment when one or more of the attribute values corresponding to the first component-specific information are determined not to match the stored values corresponding to the second component-specific information, from the comparing, wherein the processor is further configured to verify for the first component-specific information that the piece of network-connected equipment, when repaired, was repaired in an authorized repair facility;
- and
- query the non-authentic equipment for a corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) address and host name, and utilizing the IP address and the host name to determine the location of the non-authentic equipment targeted for replacement.
8 more elements
One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:
- query a piece of network-connected equipment for a plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment, the plurality of attribute values including first component-specific information identifying components of the equipment, and first location-specific information identifying a present location of the equipment;
- receive, in response to the query, information about the piece of network-connected equipment, wherein the information includes the plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment;
- compare the attribute values to stored values, the stored values including second component-specific information identifying authentic components of the equipment, and second location-specific information identifying a location of where the equipment was known to be installed;
- designate the equipment as non-authentic equipment when one or more of the attribute values corresponding to the first location-specific information are determined not to match the stored values corresponding to the second location-specific information, from the comparing;
- designate the equipment as non-authentic equipment when one or more of the attribute values corresponding to the first component-specific information are determined not to match the stored values corresponding to the second component-specific information, from the comparing;
- and verify for the first component-specific information that the piece of network-connected equipment, when repaired, was repaired in an authorized repair facility;
- and
- query the non-authentic equipment for a corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) address and host name, and utilizing the IP address and the host name to determine the location of the non-authentic equipment targeted for replacement.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.