Wi-Fi Network Authentication via Bidirectional Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Public WI-FI networks lack a robust access authentication mechanism, making users vulnerable to phishing and unauthorized access, which compromises their information security when accessing these networks.
Innovation Solution
A dual-channel authentication system where a terminal requests access verification information from an associated authentication center and then uses this information to authenticate the WI-FI network by verifying if the accessed network can interconnect with a trusted authentication center, ensuring the network's authenticity and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If unidirectional authentication is used for public WI-FI network access, then ease of operation is improved, but security reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional unidirectional authentication model by implementing bidirectional authentication. The terminal not only authenticates to the network but also verifies the network's authenticity through the associated authentication center, ensuring both sides validate each other before access is granted.
Solution Approach 2:
The associated authentication center serves as an intermediary that facilitates mutual authentication between the terminal and the WI-FI network. It verifies the terminal's identity and also authenticates the network's legitimacy, enabling secure access without compromising ease of use.
2Adaptability or versatility
If open access mode is used in phishing networks, then adaptability is improved, but harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the terminal receives authentication information from the WI-FI network and verifies it against the associated authentication center. This feedback loop enables the terminal to detect phishing networks by comparing authentication responses, thereby identifying harmful networks while maintaining adaptability to legitimate networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The associated authentication center acts as a trusted intermediary that provides verification services. It mediates between the terminal and the WI-FI network, validating the network's authenticity and preventing terminals from connecting to phishing networks, thus reducing harmful factors while preserving network adaptability.
3Reliability
If bidirectional authentication is implemented, then security reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The associated authentication center provides multi-functional services including terminal authentication, network verification, and authentication information management. By consolidating these functions in a single intermediary system, the patent achieves bidirectional authentication without proportionally increasing terminal device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The associated authentication center serves as a centralized intermediary that handles the complexity of bidirectional authentication protocols. It manages the authentication information distribution and verification processes, allowing terminals to achieve high security reliability without implementing complex authentication logic locally.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, an apparatus, and a system for authenticating a WI-FI network, where a terminal sends, to an associated authentication center when the WI-FI network exists in an area in which the terminal is located, a request message that carries a user identifier, receives access verification information allocated to a user represented by the first user identifier from the associated authentication center, sends, to a WI-FI authentication center, a login request that carries the access verification information, receives authentication information obtained and fed back by the WI-FI authentication center carrying a user identifier corresponding to the access verification information, and determines that the WI-FI network is a secure network when the user identifier carried in the authentication information is the same as the user identifier carried in the request message.