Software modem with hidden authentication commands

Abstract

A communication system includes a physical layer hardware unit and a processing unit. The physical layer hardware unit is adapted to communicate data over a communications channel in accordance with assigned transmission parameters. The physical layer hardware unit is adapted to receive an incoming signal over the communications channel and sample the incoming signal to generate a digital received signal. The processing unit is adapted to execute a software driver including program instructions adapted to extract control codes from the digital received signal, generate an authentication code, and transfer the control codes and the authentication code to the physical layer hardware unit. The physical layer hardware unit is adapted to signal a security violation in response to the control codes being inconsistent with the authentication code.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to modem communications, and more particularly, to software modems with hidden authentication instructions. Background technique [0002] In recent years, wireless telephony has grown in popularity. A radiotelephone is an example of a so-called "mobile base station" or "mobile terminal". In addition to wireless phones, mobile base stations can also take various forms, including computers with mobile communication capabilities (eg, portable computers). [0003] Telecommunications services are provided between the wireless cellular telecommunication network and the mobile base station through an air interface such as radio frequency. Usually, a dedicated International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI, International Mobile Subscriber Identity) is assigned to each mobile base station. At any time, the mobile base station in standby can communicate with one or more base stations through the air interface. These base station...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0022] Communication devices that use software to implement other communication protocols are also susceptible to some of the above problems, but there will be different degrees and levels of results

For example, software drivers for communication devices that use copper subscriber lines such as audio wideband modems (V.90), asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) modems, and home telephone network networks (HomePNA) are vulnerable to attacks due to , resulting in the subscriber line being unusable or not working normally

For example, a group of infected software modems could keep calling a specific number under a denial of service attack and thus incapacitate the target

Images