Wi-Fi Access Point Reputation Filtering for Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices automatically reconnect to compromised Wi-Fi access points, exposing users to potential data theft due to the 'default automatic reconnection' feature, which cannot be conveniently disabled without losing the benefit of reconnecting to secure access points.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a mobile device and server device to determine if a Wi-Fi access point has a bad reputation by accessing a reputation database, and if so, performing remedial actions such as blocking reconnection, reconfiguring settings, or alerting the user to prevent automatic reconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the default automatic reconnection feature is enabled, then user convenience is improved, but security risk increases due to potential connection to compromised access points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reputation database as an intermediary between the mobile device and Wi-Fi access points. Before allowing automatic reconnection, the system queries the reputation database to verify the safety of the access point, thus mediating the connection decision and blocking potentially malicious access points while maintaining convenience for legitimate ones
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary verification by checking the reputation database before allowing automatic reconnection to occur. This advance checking mechanism ensures that compromised access points are identified and blocked before the mobile device can connect to them, preventing security incidents while preserving automatic reconnection functionality
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the default automatic reconnection feature is disabled, then security risk is reduced, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reputation database acts as a selective filter that allows automatic reconnection to proceed only for verified safe access points. This intermediary mechanism enables the system to maintain automatic reconnection convenience for legitimate networks while automatically blocking access to compromised networks, eliminating the need for users to disable the feature entirely
3Speed
If automatic reconnection is allowed without verification, then connection speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential connection to compromised access points
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a quick reputation check in the database before initiating automatic reconnection. This preliminary verification step is designed to be fast and does not significantly delay the connection process, while simultaneously ensuring that only reliable, non-compromised access points are selected for connection
Data Source
AI summary
Protecting from automatic reconnection with Wi-Fi access points having bad reputations. In some embodiments, a method may include determining that the mobile device is within range of a Wi-Fi access point, determining that the mobile device is configured to automatically reconnect to the Wi-Fi access point, receiving a request to indicate whether the Wi-Fi access point has a bad reputation, accessing an access point reputation database to determine whether the Wi-Fi access point has a bad reputation, sending an indication that the Wi-Fi access point has a bad reputation, and, in response to the indication that the Wi-Fi access point has a bad reputation, protecting the mobile device from the Wi-Fi access point by performing a remedial action at the mobile device.