Crowdsourced Wi-Fi Reputation System for Security Ratings

The system performs preliminary security assessments of Wi-Fi networks by collecting and analyzing reputation data from multiple sources before users connect. Security agents on user devices proactively evaluate networks by gathering metadata, checking against known malicious networks, and computing risk scores in advance, allowing users to make informed decisions before establishing connections.

The patent introduces an intermediary reputation assessment system that mediates between users and public Wi-Fi networks. This system acts as a security layer by collecting network metadata, comparing it against databases of known malicious networks, and providing risk evaluations that help users safely access public networks without direct exposure to threats.

The system implements self-service security assessment where security agents automatically collect network metadata, compute risk scores, and provide recommendations without requiring user intervention. The agent autonomously evaluates networks by gathering information from multiple sources, comparing against known threats, and presenting simplified safety indicators that users can act on without technical knowledge.

The security agent is designed as a universal multi-functional component that performs multiple security tasks: collecting network metadata, computing risk scores, providing recommendations, and integrating with various interfaces (AR, mobile apps). This single agent handles diverse security assessment functions across different public networks, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tools.

The system performs preliminary data collection and processing by continuously gathering network metadata and reputation information in the background before users need assessments. Security agents proactively build databases of known malicious networks and pre-evaluate networks that users are likely to encounter, so that when connection decisions are needed, pre-computed risk scores are immediately available.

The patent merges multiple data sources and processing functions into a unified crowdsourced reputation system. Security agents from multiple users contribute network metadata and security observations, which are aggregated and processed collectively to generate comprehensive risk assessments. This consolidation leverages collective intelligence to improve accuracy while distributing processing load across the network.