Subscriber identity module-based authentication of a wireless device and applications stored thereon
View Patent ↗An approach is provided for performing a device-level and/or an application-level security check of a device. In the device-level check, a device hash is generated based on a subscriber identity module identifier (SIM ID), a device identifier, the number of secured applications, and the names of the secured applications. A temporary device hash is generated during a booting of the device. If the device hash is determined to not match the temporary device hash, the applications are removed from the device during the booting of the device. In the application-level check, an application hash is generated based on the SIM ID, the device identifier, and the application name. A temporary application hash is generated during a loading of the application. If the application hash is determined to not match the temporary application hash, the application is removed from the device without running the application.
1. A method of authenticating a device, the method comprising the steps of:
prior to a loss of the device, retrieving, by a computer, a first subscriber identity module identifier (SIM ID) from a first SIM card of the device and retrieving an identifier of the device, and determining, by the computer, a number indicating a count of one or more applications secured in an application registry of the device and determining one or more names of the one or more applications secured in the application registry;
prior to a process of booting the device, generating, by the computer, a device hash by concatenating the first SIM ID retrieved prior to the loss, the identifier of the device retrieved prior to the loss, the number indicating the count of the one or more applications determined prior to the loss, and the one or more names of the one or more applications determined prior to the loss;
after the loss of the device, retrieving, by the computer, a second SIM ID from a second SIM card of the device, the second SIM ID being different from the first SIM ID, and the second SIM card being different from the first SIM card, retrieving, by the computer, the identifier of the device, and determining, by the computer, the number indicating the count of the one or more applications secured in the application registry of the device, and determining the one or more names of the one or more applications secured in the application registry of the device;
during the process of booting the device, generating, by the computer, a temporary hash for the device by concatenating the second SIM ID retrieved after the loss, the identifier of the device retrieved after the loss, the number indicating the count of the one or more applications determined after the loss, and the one or more names of the one or more applications determined after the loss;
determining, by the computer, whether the device hash matches the temporary hash for the device;
if the device hash matches the temporary hash for the device, completing, by the computer, the process of booting the device; and
if the device hash does not match the temporary hash for the device, removing, by the computer, the one or more applications from the device during the process of booting the device.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining, by the computer, the device hash does not match the temporary hash for the device; and
responsive to the step of determining the device hash does not match the temporary hash for the device, determining, by the computer, the device fails a security check and removing the one or more applications from the device during the process of booting the device, wherein the step of determining the device fails the security check does not require the device to be connected to a computer network.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
generating, by the computer, an application hash for an application, the application hash based on the SIM ID, the identifier of the device, and a name of the application;
generating, by the computer, a temporary hash for the application during a process of loading the application;
determining, by the computer, whether the application hash matches the temporary hash for the application;
if the application hash matches the temporary hash for the application, running, by the computer, the application; and
if the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application, removing, by the computer, the application from the device without running the application.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
determining, by the computer, the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application; and
responsive to the step of determining the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application, determining, by the computer, the device fails a security check and removing the application from the device during the process of loading the application, wherein the step of determining the device fails the security check does not require the device to be connected to a computer network.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
initiating, by the computer, an installation of an application on the device;
securing, by the computer, the application by adding the application to the application registry; and
updating, by the computer, the device hash by updating the number to indicate another count of the application and the one or more applications, and by updating the one or more names to include a name of the application.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:
subsequent to a completion of the process of booting the device, generating, by the computer, another temporary hash for the device during another process of booting the device;
determining, by the computer, whether the updated device hash matches the other temporary hash for the device;
if the updated device hash matches the other temporary hash for the device, completing, by the computer, the other process of booting the device; and
if the updated device hash does not match the other temporary hash for the device, removing, by the computer, the application and the one or more applications from the device during the other process of booting the device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is a smartphone and the identifier of the device is a phone number of the smartphone.
8. A computer program product, comprising: a computer-readable, tangible storage device; and a computer-readable program code stored in the computer-readable, tangible storage device, the computer-readable program code containing instructions that are executed by a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system to implement a method of authenticating a device, the method comprising the steps of:
prior to a loss of the device, retrieving, by the computer system, a first subscriber identity module identifier (SIM ID) from a first SIM card of the device and retrieving an identifier of the device, and determining, by the computer system, a number indicating a count of one or more applications secured in an application registry of the device and determining one or more names of the one or more applications secured in the application registry;
prior to a process of booting the device, generating, by the computer system, a device hash concatenating the first SIM ID retrieved prior to the loss, the identifier of the device retrieved prior to the loss, the number indicating the count of the one or more applications determined prior to the loss, and the one or more names of the one or more applications determined prior to the loss;
after the loss of the device, retrieving, by the computer system, a second SIM ID from a second SIM card of the device, the second SIM ID being different from the first SIM ID, and the second SIM card being different from the first SIM card, retrieving, by the computer system, the identifier of the device, and determining, by the computer system, the number indicating the count of the one or more applications secured in the application registry of the device, and determining the one or more names of the one or more applications secured in the application registry of the device;
during the process of booting the device, generating, by the computer system, a temporary hash for the device by concatenating the second SIM ID retrieved after the loss, the identifier of the device retrieved after the loss, the number indicating the count of the one or more applications determined after the loss, and the one or more names of the one or more applications determined after the loss;
determining, by the computer system, whether the device hash matches the temporary hash for the device;
if the device hash matches the temporary hash for the device, completing, by the computer system, the process of booting the device; and
if the device hash does not match the temporary hash for the device, removing, by the computer system, the one or more applications from the device during the process of booting the device.
9. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
determining, by the computer system, the device hash does not match the temporary hash for the device; and
responsive to the step of determining the device hash does not match the temporary hash for the device, determining, by the computer system, the device fails a security check and removing the one or more applications from the device during the process of booting the device, wherein the step of determining the device fails the security check does not require the device to be connected to a computer system network.
10. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
generating, by the computer system, an application hash for an application, the application hash based on the SIM ID, the identifier of the device, and a name of the application;
generating, by the computer system, a temporary hash for the application during a process of loading the application;
determining, by the computer system, whether the application hash matches the temporary hash for the application;
if the application hash matches the temporary hash for the application, running, by the computer system, the application; and
if the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application, removing, by the computer system, the application from the device without running the application.
11. The program product of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
determining, by the computer system, the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application; and
responsive to the step of determining the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application, determining, by the computer system, the device fails a security check and removing the application from the device during the process of loading the application, wherein the step of determining the device fails the security check does not require the device to be connected to a computer system network.
12. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
initiating, by the computer system, an installation of an application on the device;
securing, by the computer system, the application by adding the application to the application registry; and
updating, by the computer system, the device hash by updating the number to indicate another count of the application and the one or more applications, and by updating the one or more names to include a name of the application.
13. The program product of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
subsequent to a completion of the process of booting the device, generating, by the computer system, another temporary hash for the device during another process of booting the device;
determining, by the computer system, whether the updated device hash matches the other temporary hash for the device;
if the updated device hash matches the other temporary hash for the device, completing, by the computer system, the other process of booting the device; and
if the updated device hash does not match the other temporary hash for the device, removing, by the computer system, the application and the one or more applications from the device during the other process of booting the device.
14. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the device is a smartphone and the identifier of the device is a phone number of the smartphone.
15. A method of authenticating a device, the method comprising the steps of:
prior to a loss of the device, retrieving, by a computer, a first subscriber identity module identifier (SIM ID) from a first SIM card of the device, retrieving an identifier of the device, and retrieving a name of an application installed on the device;
prior to a process of loading the application installed on the device, generating, by a computer, an application hash for the application by concatenating the first SIM ID retrieved prior to the loss, the identifier of the device retrieved prior to the loss, the name of the application retrieved prior to the loss, and padding bits;
after the loss of the device, retrieving, by the computer, a second SIM ID from a second SIM card of the device, the second SIM ID being different from the first SIM ID, and the second SIM card being different from the first SIM card, retrieving, by the computer, the identifier of the device, and the computer retrieving the name of the application;
during the process of loading the application, generating, by the computer, a temporary hash for the application by concatenating the second SIM ID retrieved after the loss, the identifier of the device retrieved after the loss, the name of the application retrieved after the loss, and the padding bits;
determining, by the computer, whether the application hash matches the temporary hash for the application;
if the application hash matches the temporary hash for the application, running, by the computer, the application; and
if the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application, removing, by the computer, the application from the device during the process of loading the application and without running the application.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
determining, by the computer, the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application; and
responsive to the step of determining the application hash does not match the temporary hash for the application, determining, by the computer, the device fails a security check and removing the application from the device during the process of loading the application, wherein the step of determining the device fails the security check does not require the device to be connected to a computer network.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the device is a smartphone and the identifier of the device is a phone number of the smartphone.