Self-configuring local area network security

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9521113-B2
Application number	US-201313931075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

Technologies for providing electronic security to a first network are disclosed. The system may include a user equipment, a gateway device configured to mediate communication between a first network and a second network for the user equipment, and an electronic security device communicatively coupled to the gateway device. The electronic security device may include a gateway interface module configured to assume an identity associated with the gateway device, a network interface module configured to present the identity to the second network, and a traffic inspection module configured to monitor traffic without substantially affecting a topology of the first network, wherein the electronic security device is configured to identify undesirable traffic; and implement a security policy.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An electronic security device for providing electronic security to a first network, the electronic security device comprising:
a processor;
a gateway interface module comprising instructions, when loaded and executed by the processor, configured to assume an identity of a gateway device communicatively coupled to the electronic security device and configured to mediate communication between the first network and a second network, wherein assuming the identity of the gateway device is performed by altering an Address Resolution Protocol;
a network interface module comprising instructions, when loaded and executed by the processor, configured to present the identity to the second network;
a traffic inspection module comprising instructions, when loaded and executed by the processor, configured to:
monitor traffic from the first network to the second network without substantially affecting a topology of the first network, wherein the electronic security device is configured to identify undesirable traffic; and
implement a security policy, the security policy comprising instructions for handling the undesirable traffic;

wherein the electronic security device is:
communicatively coupled to the first network and to the second network through the gateway device;
resident in the first network with the gateway device; and
configured to, through the gateway device, present the identity to the second network, monitor traffic from the first network to the second network, and implement the security policy.

2. The electronic security device of claim 1 , wherein the gateway interface module is further configured to alter an Address Resolution Protocol (“ARP”) request.

3. The electronic security device of claim 1 , wherein the gateway interface module is configured to assume the identity of the gateway device by obtaining a public IP address associated with the gateway device.

4. The electronic security device of claim 3 , wherein:
the gateway interface module is further configured to obtain a local IP address associated with the first network; and
the network interface module is further configured to communicate data associated with the local IP address and data associated with the public IP address to a user equipment associated with the first network.

5. The electronic security device of claim 4 , wherein the electronic security device further comprises a web service, wherein the web service is configured to provide the user equipment with access to the data associated with the local IP address and the data associated with the public IP address.

6. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium, comprising computer-executable instructions carried on the machine readable storage medium, the instructions readable by a processor incorporated by an electronic security device, the instructions, when read and executed, causing the electronic security device to:
assume an identity of a gateway device communicatively coupled to the electronic security device and resident in a same first network as the electronic security device, the gateway device configured to mediate communication between the first network and a second network, wherein assuming the identity of the gateway device is performed by altering an Address Resolution Protocol;
present the identity to the second network;
monitor traffic from the first network to the second network without substantially affecting a topology of the first network, wherein the electronic security device is configured to identify undesirable traffic; and
implement a security policy, the security policy comprising instructions for handling the undesirable traffic;
wherein the electronic security device is communicatively coupled to the first network and to the second network through the gateway device; and
wherein the electronic security device is caused to, through the gateway device, present the identity to the second network, monitor traffic from the first network to the second network, and implement the security policy.

7. The medium of claim 6 , further comprising machine executable instructions for causing the processor to alter an Address Resolution Protocol (“ARP”) request.

8. The medium of claim 6 , wherein assuming the identity of the gateway device comprises obtaining a public IP address associated with the gateway device.

9. The medium of claim 8 , further comprising machine executable instructions for causing the processor to:
obtain a local IP address associated with the first network; and
communicate data associated with the local IP address and data associated with the public IP address to a user equipment associated with the first network.

10. The medium of claim 9 , further comprising machine executable instructions for causing the processor to provide the user equipment with access to the data associated with the local IP address and the data associated with the public IP address.

11. A method for providing electronic security to a first network, the method comprising:
assuming, by an electronic security device, an identity of a gateway device communicatively coupled to the electronic security device and resident in the same first network as the electronic security device, the gateway device configured to mediate communication between the first network and a second network, wherein assuming the identity of the gateway device is performed by altering an Address Resolution Protocol;
presenting, by the electronic security device, the identity to the second network;
monitoring, by the electronic security device, traffic from the first network to the second network without substantially affecting a topology of the first network, wherein the electronic security device is configured to identify undesirable traffic; and
implementing, by the electronic security device, a security policy, the security policy comprising instructions for handling the undesirable traffic;
wherein the electronic security device is communicatively coupled to the first network and to the second network through the gateway device; and
wherein presenting the identity to the second network, monitoring traffic from the first network to the second network, and implementing the security policy is performed through the gateway device.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising altering an Address Resolution Protocol (“ARP”) request.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein assuming the identity of the gateway device comprises obtaining a public IP address associated with the gateway device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising
obtaining a local IP address associated with the first network; and
communicating data associated with the local IP address and data associated with the public IP address to a user equipment associated with the first network.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing the user equipment with access to the data associated with the local IP address and the data associated with the public IP address.

Assignees

• Nair Jayakrishnan K
• Hunt Simon
• Venkateswaran Prasanna
• Ramanan Venkata
• Mcafee Inc

Inventors

• Nair Jayakrishnan K
• Hunt Simon
• Venkateswaran Prasanna
• Ramanan Venkata

Classifications

• H04L63/1425

  Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title

• H04L63/14

  for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic · CPC title

• H04L63/1408

  by monitoring network traffic (monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00) · CPC title