Transparent traffic control device and method for securing internet-connected devices

An article of manufacture comprising a network traffic control device for securing a first network-connected device from an online security threat when the first network-connected device is communicating with a second network-connected device, the network traffic control device comprising:

• a device for receiving at least one data packet to or from the first network-connected device;
• wherein the at least one data packet contains a media access control (MAC) address of the first network-connected device and an IP address of a second network-connected device;
• a user input device for receiving an instruction from a user;
• a device for either allowing or blocking the transmission of the at least one data packet;
• a memory for storing MAC address data related to MAC addresses that the network traffic control device recognizes as known, wherein each MAC address is associated in the memory with a network traffic group ID of a group of one or more network traffic group IDs;
• and
• an interface for assigning each MAC address to one network traffic group ID using the user input device and using the user input device to designate at least one allowed or blocked traffic requester for each at least one network traffic group ID;
• wherein the device for either allowing or blocking the transmission of the at least one data packet allows the transmission of the at least one data packet if the MAC address of the first network-connected device is associated with a network traffic group ID and the IP address of the second network-connected device belongs to an allowed traffic requester for that network traffic group ID and blocks the transmission of the at least one data packet if the MAC address of the first network-connected device is associated with a network traffic group ID and the IP address of the second network-connected device belongs to a blocked traffic requester for that network traffic group ID.

A network traffic control system for securing a network-connected device from an online security threat, the system comprising

• a network traffic control device that translates one or more remote IP addresses contained in one or more data packets that desire to enter or exit one or more network interface cards into one or more traffic requester names;
• wherein the network traffic control device comprises:
• a processor and associated memory;
• and
• the at least one network interface card for receiving and transmitting the one or more data packets;
• wherein the network traffic control device secures the at least one network-connected device when the network-connected device attempts to communicate with a communications network;
• and
• a display connected to the network traffic control device for dynamically displaying one or more traffic requester names and their associated status at the time each of the one or more data packets attempts to enter or exit the one or more network interface cards;
• wherein the network traffic control device comprises an interface viewable on the display to allow a user to change the status of one or more of the one or more traffic requester names at the time each of the one or more data packets attempts to enter or exit the one or more network interface cards.

A system for securing a network-connected device from an online security threat, the system comprising:

• a network traffic control device, further comprising software, for translating an Internet protocol (IP) address contained by network traffic into a user recognizable name, wherein the network traffic control device also comprises a processor and associated memory, a user input device for receiving an instruction from a user, and at least one network interface card for receiving and transmitting the one or more data packets;
• wherein the network traffic control device secures the at least one network-connected device when the network-connected device attempts to communicate with a communications network;
• and
• a display connected to the network traffic control device to display the user recognizable name at a time when blocked network traffic, which contains the IP address, attempts to communicate to or from the IP address of another network-connected device.

A system for securing a network-connected device from an online security threat, the system comprising:

• a network traffic control device, further comprising software, for translating an Internet protocol (IP) address contained by network traffic into a user recognizable name, wherein the network traffic control device also comprises a processor and associated memory, a user input device for receiving an instruction from a user, and at least one network interface card for receiving and transmitting the one or more data packets;
• wherein the network traffic control device secures the at least one network-connected device when the network-connected device attempts to communicate with a communications network;
• a display connected to the network traffic control device to display the user recognizable name at a time when allowed network traffic, which contains the IP address, attempts to communicate to or from the IP address of another network-connected device;
• and
• a means for toggling operable by the user input device for changing a status of the network traffic comprising the IP address between an allowed status and a blocked status while the user recognizable name is displayed on the display.

A security platform for enhancing computer and network security, the security platform comprising:

• at least one network-connected device, wherein the at least one network-connected device comprises at least one network interface card for receiving and transmitting data packets;
• at least one network traffic control device comprising:
• at least one network interface card for receiving and transmitting data packets;
• a display interface;
• a user input device;
• a processor and associated memory for recording and retrieval of data;
• for at least one DNS reply, a process for recording at least one received domain name and an associated IP address of the at least one received domain name in the memory;
• for the at least one DNS reply, a process for setting a default status in association with the at least one received domain name and for recording a representation of the at least one received domain name and its associated default status in the memory;
• a process for intercepting at least one non-DNS IP-level packet destined to or transmitted from the at least one network-connected device;
• for the at least one non-DNS IP-level packet, a process for determining the domain name of the remote host to which communication to the at least one network-connected device is attempted;
• wherein the process for determining the domain name retrieves:
• (i) the at least one domain name that is associated with the IP address from the data recorded in the memory, and
• (ii) the current status associated with the at least one domain name from the data recorded in the memory, and wherein the representation of the domain name and a representation of the current status of the domain name are displayed on the display interface;
• and
• a process executed in response to an instruction from the user input device to change the current status for the at least one domain name displayed in the representation;
• wherein the status change for the domain name is recorded as the current status;
• and wherein the at least one non-DNS IP-level packet associated with the at least one network-connected device is discarded if the current status is blocked.