Cellular device security apparatus and method
View Patent ↗A cellular communication device has one or more access modes which allow reading and writing of data, for example to change its settings, for example passwords and even the entire operating system and also permitting access to personal information such as the user's telephone book. To prevent cloning and like illegal access activity, the device is configured by restricting access to such data access modes using a device unique security setting. The setting may be a password, preferably a one-time password, or it may be a unique or dynamic or one time configuration of the codes for the read and write instructions of the data mode. There is also disclosed a server, which manages the security settings such that data mode operates during an active connection between the device and the server, and a secure communication protocol for communicating between the server and the cellular device.
1. A system comprising:
a plurality of cellular communication devices (CCDs), each CCD associated with a unique identifier (NCUI), configurable settings, and an operating system, each CCD comprising an access restrictor that, in response to a received password, switches the CCD into a data mode in which the CCD allows reading and writing into the settings thereof and updating and changing the operating system thereof; and wherein the CCDs permit the reading and writing into settings thereof and the updating and changing the operating system thereof only in the data mode,
a client reprogramming device (CRD) able to communicate with each one of the CCDs; and
a remote data server (RDS) connected, over a secured communication link (SCL), to the CRD,
wherein the RDS keeps all of the NCUIs of all of the CCDs and is further configured to generate a password for switching a CCD into the data mode, for each one of the CCDs, based on a respective NCUI, and wherein the CRD is configured to:
(i) receive the NCUI from a CCD,
(ii) transfer a request for a respective password for the received NCUI, over the SCL, to the RDS,
(iii) receive the respective password from the RDS over the SCL, and
(iv) apply the password to the access restrictor of the CCD, to switch the CCD into the data mode.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said unique identifier is non-configurable.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the respective access restrictors are configured to recognize a data mode entry command for switching the corresponding CCD to data mode, but to lock said data mode until said password is received.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said data mode has a plurality of levels and respective access restrictors are configured to associate each level with a respectively different level password and to allow only data mode functions associated with a level defined by said received password.
5. A system comprising:
a plurality of cellular communication devices (CCDs), each CCD associated with a unique identifier (NCUI), configurable settings, and an operating system, each CCD comprising an access restrictor that, in response to a received password, switches the CCD into a data mode in which the CCD allows reading and writing into the settings thereof and updating and changing the operating system thereof; and wherein the CCDs permit the reading and writing into settings thereof and the updating and changing the operating system thereof only in the data mode,
a client reprogramming device (CRD) electrically connectable over a cable, to each one of the CCDs; and
a remote data server (RDS) connected, over a secured communication link (SCL), to the CRD,
wherein the RDS keeps all of the NCUIs of all of the CCDs and is further configured to generate a password for switching a CCD into the data mode, for each one of the CCDs, based on a respective NCUI, and wherein the CRD is configured to:
(i) receive the NCUI from a CCD over the cable,
(ii) transfer a request for a respective password for the received NCUI, over the SCL, to the RDS,
(iii) receive the respective password from the RDS over the SCL, and
(iv) apply the password over the cable to the access restrictor of the CCD, to switch the CCD into the data mode.
6. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the RDS is further configured to regenerate a new password upon each request for a password, and wherein the new password is transferred by the CRD to the CCD and replaces the password at the CCD upon switching to the data mode.
7. A cellular communication device having a data mode allowing reading and writing of data and change settings on said cellular communication device, said settings comprising personal data, device configuration data and technical data relating to the specific device, said device being configured with an access restrictor to restrict use of said access data mode in accordance with a device unique security setting, wherein said device unique security setting is provided remotely from the cellular communication device in real-time as the access data mode is entered, wherein said device unique security setting is accessible only via a predetermined communication protocol, and wherein said predetermined communication protocol comprises one member of the group consisting of a specified sequence of communication packets and a specified structure of communication packets, the device being configured to restrict large scale copying of said personal information to said data mode; and further configured to transfer a request for a respective password for the received NCUI, over the SCL to the RDS, and apply the password to the access restrictor of the CCD, to switch the CCD into the data mode.