Gatekeeper architecture/features to support security policy maintenance and distribution
In a particular embodiment, a network module deployed at a wireless network access node is disclosed. The network module comprises a policy database including a list of authorized wireless mobile devices and an agent for enforcing rules of the policy database.
1 . A network module deployed at a wireless network access node, comprising:
a policy database including a list of authorized wireless mobile devices; and
an agent for enforcing rules of the policy database.
2 . The network module of claim 1 , further comprising a memory that stores key material.
3 . The network module of claim 2 , wherein the key material includes a root key and a plurality of operating keys.
4 . The network module of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of operating keys include a data key, a policy key, and a log file key.
5 . The network module of claim 2 , wherein the key material is encrypted.
6 . The network module of claim 5 , wherein the key material is encrypted using a personal identification number, a user password, and a user phrase.
7 . The network module of claim 4 , wherein the memory stores a policy pack, the policy pack including security policies that are encrypted using the policy key.
8 . The network module of claim 7 , further comprising a mobile device interface, the mobile device interface to communicate with a mobile computing device during a device data synchronization, the mobile device interface to communicate the policy pack and the key material from the network module to the mobile computing device during the device data synchronization.
9 . The network module of claim 2 , further comprising a server interface, the server interface to communicate with a server, the server interface configured to receive policies and the key material from the server.
10 . The network module of claim 9 , wherein the server interface communicates with the server over a secure data communication protocol.
11 . A wireless network access system, comprising:
a wireless network access node; and
a network module deployed on the wireless network access node, the network module including a policy database including a plurality of wireless mobile device access authorization rules and an agent for enforcing the wireless mobile device access authorization rules of the policy database.
12 . The wireless network access system of claim 11 , further comprising the wireless mobile device access authorization rules generated for each user within a role and encrypted with a specific user's encryption key.
13 . The wireless network access system of claim 11 , further comprising a memory for storing at least one policy file and at least one log file on the wireless access node.
14 . The wireless network access system of claim 13 , further comprising separate encryption key pairs for the at least one policy file and the at least one log file, individually.
15 . The wireless network access system of claim 11 , further comprising the network module including an encryption key pair associated with the wireless access node on which the network module is deployed.
16 . The wireless network access system of claim 11 , further comprising the policy database including a list of devices that can be communicated with and a list of keys which can be used to authenticate one or more wireless mobile devices.
17 . The wireless network access system of claim 16 , further comprising the network module operable to request and perform a challenge response with a wireless mobile device to determine wireless mobile device authentication.
18 . The wireless network access system of claim 11 , further comprising the network module including a root key and a set of operating keys, the operating keys including a data key, policy key and a log key, the root key used to encrypt the operating keys.