Domain-aware device protection via cross-validation among spatially-adjacent devices

A mobile data processing system for protecting a mobile device,

• the mobile data processing system comprising:
• a bus system;
• a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device stores program instructions;
• and
• a processor connected to the bus system, wherein the processor executes the program instructions to:
• establish a first set of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in a first domain at a first geographic location by communicating with respective members of the first set of IoT devices;
• identify respective ones of the first set of IoT devices within the first domain as registered to a user corresponding to the mobile device based on a list of registered devices generating a registered subset of IoT devices that includes the mobile device;
• determine a number of proximate known IoT devices that are members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location and a number of proximate unknown IoT devices that are not members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location;
• determine whether the number of proximate unknown IoT devices that are not members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location is greater than or equal to a threshold number of proximate unknown IoT devices;
• determine that the mobile device is in an unsecure environment in response to determining that the number of proximate unknown IoT devices that are not members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location is greater than or equal to the threshold number of proximate unknown IoT devices;
• and
• launch a self-protection mode of operation on the mobile device in response to determining that the mobile device is in the unsecure environment.

A computer program product for protecting a mobile device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by the mobile device to cause the mobile device to perform a method comprising:

• establishing, by the mobile device, a first set of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in a first domain at a first geographic location by communicating with respective members of the first set of IoT devices;
• identifying, by the mobile device, respective ones of the first set of IoT devices within the first domain as registered to a user corresponding to the mobile device based on a list of registered devices generating a registered subset of IoT devices that includes the mobile device;
• determining, by the mobile device, a number of proximate known IoT devices that are members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location and a number of proximate unknown IoT devices that are not members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location;
• determining, by the mobile device, whether the number of proximate unknown IoT devices that are not members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location is greater than or equal to a threshold number of proximate unknown IoT devices;
• determining, by the mobile device, that the mobile device is in an unsecure environment in response to the mobile device determining that the number of proximate unknown IoT devices that are not members of the registered subset of IoT devices at the first geographic location is greater than or equal to the threshold number of proximate unknown IoT devices;
• and
• launching, by the mobile device, a self-protection mode of operation on the mobile device in response to the mobile device determining that the mobile device is in the unsecure environment.