Techniques for preventing unauthorized users from controlling modem of mobile device

A computing device comprising:

• a modem configured to:
• receive a modem control command at a terminal interface of the modem;
• authenticate the modem control command, the modem being configured to
• determine an authentication level associated with the modem, wherein the associated authentication level is selected from a plurality of authentication levels, and wherein the modem is further configured to determine whether the modem is tethered to an external computing device and to apply a device-specific authentication level responsive to the modem being tethered to the external computing device,
• determine a command type associated with the modem control command, and
• execute an authentication procedure based on the authentication level associated with the modem and the command type associated with the modem control command, wherein the authentication procedure is different for different authentication levels of the plurality of authentication levels;
• execute the modem control command responsive to authentication being successful;
• and
• prevent execution of the modem control command responsive to the authentication being unsuccessful.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for protecting a configuration of a modem of a mobile device, comprising instructions configured to cause a computer to:

• receive a modem control command at a terminal interface of the modem;
• authenticate the modem control command, the instructions configured to cause the computer to authenticate the modem control command comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to
• determine an authentication level associated with the modem, wherein the associated authentication level is selected from a plurality of authentication levels, and wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to determine the authentication level further comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to determine whether the modem is tethered to an external computing device and to apply a device-specific authentication level responsive to the modem being tethered to the external computing device,
• determine a command type associated with the modem control command, and
• execute an authentication procedure based on the authentication level associated with the modem and the command type associated with the modem control command, wherein the authentication procedure is different for different authentication levels of the plurality of authentication levels;
• execute the modem control command responsive to authentication being successful;
• and
• prevent execution of the modem control command responsive to the authentication being unsuccessful.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a modem control command at a terminal interface of a modem of the apparatus;
• means for authenticating the modem control command comprising
• means for determining an authentication level associated with the modem, wherein the associated authentication level is selected from a plurality of authentication levels, and wherein the means for determining the authentication level further comprises means for determining whether the modem is tethered to an external computing device and means for applying a device-specific authentication level responsive to the modem being tethered to the external computing device,
• means for determining a command type associated with the modem control command, and
• means for executing an authentication procedure based on the authentication level associated with the modem and the command type associated with the modem control command, wherein the authentication procedure is different for different authentication levels of the plurality of authentication levels;
• means for executing the modem control command responsive to authentication being successful;
• and
• means for preventing execution of the modem control command responsive to the authentication being unsuccessful.