Security system for inmate wireless devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200159-B2
Application number	US-202217576282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2022
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A layered security suite is disclosed wherein multiple security barriers that prevent the unsanctioned use of a mobile device issued by a controlled-environment facility. The security barriers are implemented along multiple points within the communication path between the mobile device with outside networks, including on the mobile device, on wireless access points that serve data traffic for the mobile device, and a firewall device that monitors all data coming to and from the wireless access points. The barriers on the mobile device prevent the user from performing unsanctioned application and settings changes, including both software and hardware components, while the barrier on the wireless access point detects and prevents unauthorized connections between mobile devices and unsanctioned wireless access points. The firewall device discards packets with unsanctioned internet addresses. The layers work in concert to prevent all manner of tampering with the mobile device by members of the controlled-environment facility.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for preventing unsanctioned use of a mobile device within a controlled environment facility, comprising:
an application barrier stored on a memory of the mobile device, and executed by one or more processors, the application barrier configured to:
review functions of an application stored in the memory of the mobile device;
identify a first function of the application as belonging to a first class of functions based on the review;
disable the first class of functions including the first function;
identify a second function of the application belonging to a second class of functions;
perform application modification of the second function that includes disabling non-secure functions of the second function;
monitor usage of the second function in response to the identifying; and
disable the second function of the application in response to the monitoring detecting prohibited activity involving the second function, the prohibited activity including attempting to modify one or more device settings of the mobile device; and

a wireless security barrier configured to:
detect a transmission between the mobile device and an unsanctioned wireless access point;
block the transmission; and
attack the unsanctioned wireless access point.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first class of functions include functions deemed non-useful by the controlled environment facility.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second class of functions include functions deemed useful by the controlled environment facility.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second function is a social application.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the monitoring includes monitoring social interactions of the social application.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the monitoring includes reviewing social interactions for illicit and/or prohibited activity.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application barrier is further configured to prevent installation of a new application and removal of an existing application.

8. A wireless communication device for use in a controlled environment facility, comprising:
a transceiver configured to wireless send and receive signals with a communication server;
a memory configured to store a plurality of applications; and
one or more processors configured to:
review functions of an application from among the plurality of applications stored in the memory;
identify a first function of the application as belonging to a first class of functions based on the review;
disable the first class of functions including the first function;
identify a second function of the application belonging to a second class of functions;
perform application modification of the second function that includes disabling non-secure functions of the second function;
monitor usage of the second function in response to the identifying;
disable the second function of the application in response to the monitoring detecting prohibited activity involving the second function, the prohibited activity including attempting to modify one or more device settings of the wireless communication device;
transmit to an unsanctioned wireless access point; and
receive one or more signals from a wireless security barrier preventing the transmission.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , wherein the first class of functions include functions deemed non-useful by the controlled environment facility.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , wherein the second class of functions include functions deemed useful by the controlled environment facility.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the second function is a social application.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the monitoring includes monitoring social interactions of the social application.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the monitoring includes reviewing social interactions for illicit and/or prohibited activity.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 13 , wherein an application barrier is configured to prevent installation of a new application and removal of an existing application.

15. A method for preventing unsanctioned use of a mobile device within a controlled environment facility, comprising:
reviewing functions of an application stored in a memory of the mobile device;
identifying a first function of the application as belonging to a first class of functions based on the review;
disabling the first class of functions including the first function;
identifying a second function of the application belonging to a second class of functions;
performing application modification of the second function that includes disabling non-secure functions of the second function;
monitoring usage of the second function in response to the identifying;
disabling the second function in response to the monitoring detecting prohibited activity involving the second function, the prohibited activity including attempting to modify one or more device settings of the mobile device;
detecting a transmission between the mobile device and an unsanctioned wireless access point;
blocking the transmission; and
attacking the unsanctioned wireless access point.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first class of functions include functions deemed non-useful by the controlled environment facility.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second class of functions include functions deemed useful by the controlled environment facility.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second function is a social application.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the monitoring includes monitoring social interactions of the social application.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the monitoring includes reviewing social interactions for illicit and/or prohibited activity.

Assignees

• Global Telstarlink Corp

Inventors

• Marass Jason
• Peters Brian
• Johnson Garth
• Hodge Stephen Lee

Classifications

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04W12/37

  Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications · CPC title

• H04W12/35

  Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning · CPC title

• H04W12/126

  Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning · CPC title

• H04W12/088

  using filters or firewalls · CPC title