Security for a power over ethernet installation
View Patent ↗Aspects of the present invention monitor an electrical circuit in a power over Ethernet (“PoE”) installation to detect potential security breaches and implement a security response upon detecting the security event. The security event may be a disruption to the electrical circuit lasting more than a threshold duration (e.g., 250 ms, 0.5 second, 1 second). The disruption can be an open circuit caused by cutting or unplugging the Ethernet cable. In one aspect, the security response can be discontinuing further communications over the PoE connection.
1. A method for providing security to a communications system that comprises a power servicing device coupled by an Ethernet cable to a powered device, the method comprising:
monitoring a power over Ethernet connection through which electricity is supplied from the power servicing device to the powered device;
determining that an electrical connection formed by the power over Ethernet circuit is disrupted for more than a threshold duration; and
in response to said determining, automatically blocking further digital communications from occurring over the power over Ethernet connection between the power servicing device and the powered device,
wherein digital communications over the power over Ethernet connection remain blocked for a threshold waiting period and then are unblocked after the threshold waiting period passes.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises communicating an alarm message in response to said determining.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a reset message and unblocking the power over Ethernet connection to allow communications to occur over the power over Ethernet connection.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold duration is between 1 and 100 ms.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold duration is between 1 ms and 2 seconds.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the powered device is a picocell.
7. One or more nontransitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions thereon, that when executed by a computing device, perform a method for providing security to a power over Ethernet connection, the method comprising:
monitoring, at a power servicing device, an electrical supply circuit in the power over Ethernet connection that couples the power servicing device to a powered device;
detecting a security breach in the electrical supply circuit; and
in response to said detecting, automatically initiating a security response to the security breach,
wherein the security response comprises blocking further digital communications from occurring over the power over Ethernet connection between the power servicing device and the powered device, and
wherein the digital communications over the power over Ethernet connection remain blocked for a threshold waiting period and then are unblocked after the threshold waiting period passes.
8. The media of claim 7 , wherein the security breach occurs when the electrical supply circuit is disrupted for more than a threshold duration.
9. The media of claim 8 , wherein the threshold duration is between 1 ms and 100 ms.
10. The media of claim 8 , wherein the threshold duration is between 1 ms and 2 seconds.
11. The media of claim 7 , wherein the powered device is a picocell.
12. The media of claim 11 , wherein the picocell is located in an unsecure location.
13. A power servicing device for a power over Ethernet installation comprising:
an Ethernet port to receive an Ethernet cable;
a communication component to send and receive communications through the Ethernet port;
a power component to supply power to at least one pair of conductors within the Ethernet cable:
a monitoring component to monitor a transmission of electricity over the Ethernet cable and detect a security breach; and
a security response component that responds to the security breach by discontinuing further communications from occurring through the Ethernet port,
wherein digital communications over the power over Ethernet connection remain blocked for a threshold waiting period and then are unblocked after the threshold waiting period passes.
14. The power servicing device of claim 13 , wherein the power servicing device is a Layer 2 switch.
15. The power servicing device of claim 14 , wherein the Layer 2 switch is connected to a picocell by the power over Ethernet connection.
16. The power servicing device of claim 13 , wherein the security breach occurs when the transmission of electricity is disrupted for more than a threshold duration.
17. The power servicing device of claim 16 , wherein the threshold duration is between 100 and 500 ms.
18. The power servicing device of claim 13 , wherein the monitoring component monitors a neutral conductor in an electrical circuit formed in the power over Ethernet installation between the power servicing device and a powered device.