Wireless Network Authentication for Rogue Mobile Applications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile device applications can exhibit rogue behavior, consuming excessive network resources and causing denial of service attacks or other issues in wireless networks, necessitating effective management to prevent unauthorized access and maintain network functionality.

Innovation Solution

A wireless network system assigns unique identities to mobile device applications, authenticates them, and identifies rogue applications, blocking or disabling them to prevent resource consumption, using a database to maintain lists of approved and disapproved applications, and instructing terminals to restrict or terminate disapproved applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If mobile device applications are allowed to access wireless network resources without restriction, then application functionality and user access are improved, but network resource consumption increases and denial of service attacks may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication access to networkVSAvoidnetwork stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary authentication of mobile device applications before granting network access. The network system maintains a database of approved and disapproved applications, and performs authentication checks before allowing applications to access network resources. This preliminary action prevents rogue applications from causing network instability while still allowing legitimate applications to function normally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If all mobile device applications are authenticated and monitored, then network security is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork securityVSAvoidauthentication system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism where the wireless network system acts as a mediator between mobile device applications and network resources. The network maintains a database of approved applications and performs authentication checks, serving as an intermediary layer that simplifies the security model compared to complex client-side authentication systems while still providing robust security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of energy

If rogue applications are blocked or disabled, then network resource protection is improved, but application functionality may be restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork resource protectionVSAvoidapplication functionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating between approved and disapproved applications on a per-application basis. Instead of broadly restricting all applications or allowing unrestricted access, the system maintains a database that specifies which individual applications are approved to access network resources and which are disapproved. This granular approach protects network resources from rogue applications while preserving functionality for legitimate applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2574091B1Managing mobile device applications on a mobile device
Publication Date: 2018.08.22 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2574091B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2574091B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2574091B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer programs for managing mobile device applications are described. In some aspects, a mobile device application is prevented from accessing resources of a wireless network. For example, a wireless network operator system can determine that one or more mobile device applications are disapproved for use in the wireless network. In some implementations, the wireless network operator denies the disapproved mobile device applications access to the wireless network resources. In some implementations, mobile devices disable access to the wireless network by the disapproved mobile device applications.