Proxy method and system for secure wireless administration of managed entities
View Patent ↗A method, system and apparatus are described for avoiding the use of a web-server or generic security when providing network administration services remotely to managed entities using wireless technology. Instead a true Proxy device, not operating as a web-server, is used to pre-process all command traffic from wireless input devices (WID). The intervention between the WID and the managed entities of the Proxy isolating the managed entities from the WID, enhanced by encoding using a novel messaging protocol, further enhanced by a novel security model based on multiple pre-shared keys and algorithms together with identifiers and passwords that are not transmitted, achieves several bandwidth and security advantages including the ability to deliver TELNET services across the Internet and behind a firewall.
1. A method in a system, for securing communication between a wireless input device (WID) and a proxy server, for wirelessly administering at least one managed computer via said proxy server, said proxy server being trusted by said at least one managed computer, said proxy server having access to an encrypted service database for storing information respecting said WID and information respecting at least one user of said WID, said wireless device being constructed and adapted to create and transmit an encoded message, said message including at least one command for at least one managed computer, wherein said at least one command corresponds to and is distinct from one or more operating system (OS) commands for said at least one managed computer, said proxy server constructed and adapted to receive and decode said message, to authenticate said wireless device and to authorize said commands, and to send said one or more OS commands from said proxy server to at least one managed computer, the method comprising:
encoding commands for the purpose of preparing an administrative message for transmission between said wireless input device and said at least one managed computer, via said proxy server, wherein said step of encoding comprises the steps of:
mapping at least one command to an identifier comprising a first symbol,
mapping at least one parameter to each said first symbol,
mapping at least one value to each said parameter,
creating a first symbol-second symbol combination by appending a second symbol to said first symbol for the purpose of defining whether the transmission of said first symbol-second symbol combination is a request for or a confirmation of compliance,
defining a sequence according to which said first symbol-second symbol combination will be positioned within said message relative to said value of each said parameter, and
assembling said message using said first symbol to represent at least one command recognized by said managed computer, and
arranging said first symbol-second symbol combination together with said value of each said parameter in accordance with said sequence.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one managed computer comprises a server connected to a local area network.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transmission of said message is via wireless or Internet means or a combination thereof.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said message is encoded by applying a symbolic representation of groups of commands.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second message part is decrypted, interpreted, and expanded to obtain said one or more OS commands for transmission from said proxy server to said at least one managed computer.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said proxy server authenticates said wireless device by confirming that said wireless device is a device registered on said proxy server or that a user of said wireless device is a user registered on said proxy server.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said proxy server authorizes said commands by confirming that a user of said wireless device is permitted to require said at least one managed computer to execute said one or more OS commands.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein transmission of said OS commands from said proxy server to said at least one managed computer is performed without any connection between said wireless device and said at least one managed computer.