Secure Wake on LAN White List Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Wake on LAN (WOL) technologies lack sufficient security, particularly in small networks, as they can be easily compromised by malicious devices intercepting passwords or wake-up packets, and existing solutions are not well-suited for home LANs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a secure Wake on LAN system using a white list stored in the device's memory, which includes credentials for authorized entities, and a sleep manager logic that only wakes the device if the requesting entity's credentials are on the white list, ensuring only authorized entities can initiate the wake-up process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If Wake on LAN is enabled to allow remote device activation, then device accessibility is improved, but security vulnerability increases due to packet interception risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by checking the requesting entity's credentials against the stored white list before activating the device. This advance verification prevents unauthorized wake-up requests from malicious devices while allowing legitimate remote activation, thus resolving the security vulnerability without compromising accessibility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If password protection is implemented for Wake on LAN, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to password interception in packets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication credentials from the transmitted wake-up packets and stores them securely in the device's memory as a white list. By removing passwords from network packets and performing authentication locally using stored credentials, the system eliminates the security risk of packet interception while maintaining convenient operation for authorized users.
3Productivity
If existing Wake on LAN solutions are used in small networks, then device wake-up functionality is achieved, but security reliability deteriorates due to lack of suitable security measures
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements localized security measures by storing authentication credentials specifically in the device's own memory rather than relying on network-level security. This local white list approach provides tailored security protection suitable for small networks, maintaining wake-up functionality while significantly improving security reliability through device-specific authentication.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with secure Wake on LAN with white list are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes memory and sleep manager logic. The memory is configured to store a white list. The white list includes credentials for entities that are authorized to wake a host device from a power-saving sleep mode. The sleep manager logic is configured to receive, from a requesting entity, a request to wake the host device and determine if credentials for the requesting entity are on the white list. The sleep manager logic is configured to wake the host device when credentials for the requesting entity are on the white list and refrain from waking the host device when credentials for the requesting entity are not on the white list.