Secure beacon identity

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a beacon from a first intermediate device via a first network, wherein the beacon was received by the first intermediate device from an endpoint device via a second network, the beacon comprising a hash value, the hash value being generated using the identity of the endpoint device and a time unit when the beacon was generated;

validating the hash value of the beacon using the identity of the endpoint device and the time unit when the beacon was generated; and

forwarding the beacon to a server via a third network in response to the hash value of the beacon being valid; and

invalidating one or more hash values by identifying a respective time unit when the respective one or more hash values were generated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein validating the hash value of the beacon further comprises:

precomputing hash values for one or more unique device identities and for values of time units up to a fixed time value;

storing the precomputed hash values;

comparing the hash value received with the beacon with the stored precomputed hash values; and

validating the hash value of the beacon in response to the hash value received with the beacon matching one of the stored precomputed hash values.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stored precomputed hash values are sorted according to hash values.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash value is further based on a secret key known to the endpoint device and a relay manager server.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash value is further based on a MAC address of the endpoint device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising continuing to receive additional beacons in response to the hash value of the beacon not being valid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time unit is predetermined before the beacon is generated.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising compensating for clock drift of the endpoint device such that the time unit when the beacon was generated is correct.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising adjusting a clock of the endpoint device based on temperature variation or crystal inaccuracy.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash value of the beacon prevents the identity of the endpoint device from being discernible by a third party.

11. A method, comprising:

calculating hash values for a set of unique device identities and for values of time units up to a fixed time value;

storing the precomputed hash values;

receiving a beacon from a first intermediate device via a first network, wherein the beacon was received by the first intermediate device from an endpoint device via a second network, the beacon comprising a hash value, the hash value being generated using the identity of the endpoint device and a time unit when the beacon was generated;

comparing the hash value received with the beacon with the stored precomputed hash values;

validating the hash value of the beacon in response to the hash value received with the beacon matching one of the stored precomputed hash values as a result of the identity of the endpoint device and the time unit when the beacon was generated;

deleting stored computed hash values for time unit values whose difference from the current time is greater than a predetermined threshold value; and

forwarding the beacon to a server via a third network in response to the hash value of the beacon being valid.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the stored computed hash values are sorted according to hash values.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

invalidating the hash value of the beacon in response to the hash value received with the beacon not matching one of the stored computed hash values; and

continuing to receive additional beacons in response to the hash value of the beacon being invalidated.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

invalidating the computed hash values as time units elapse;

deleting the invalidated hash values from storage; and

calculating new computed hash values as time units elapse.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving a beacon from a first intermediate device via a first network, wherein the beacon was received by the first intermediate device from an endpoint device via a second network, the beacon comprising a hash value, the hash value being generated using the identity of the endpoint device and a time unit when the beacon was generated;

calculating a clock drift of the endpoint device wherein the clock drift occurs from a temperature of a timing crystal of the endpoint device, and the clock drift is calculated and adjusted based on the temperature of the timing crystal of the endpoint device;

adjusting the time unit in view of the calculated clock drift;

validating the hash value of the beacon using the identity of the endpoint device and the time unit when the beacon was generated; and

forwarding the beacon to a server via a third network in response to the hash value of the beacon being valid.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising periodically synchronizing a clock of the endpoint device with a clock of a relay manager server.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising deleting stored computed hash values for time unit values whose difference from the current time is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising invalidating one or more hash values that have a time unit that is earlier than a latest resolved time.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving a beacon from a first intermediate device via a first network, wherein the beacon was received by the first intermediate device from an endpoint device via a second network, the beacon comprising a hash value, the hash value being generated using the identity of the endpoint device and a time unit when the beacon was generated;

calculating a clock drift of the endpoint device, wherein the clock drift is occurs from crystal frequency deviation and an elapsed time since the last clock synchronization, and the clock drift is calculated and adjusted based on the crystal frequency deviation and the elapsed time since the last clock synchronization;

adjusting the time unit of the in view the calculated clock drift;

validating the hash value of the beacon using the identity of the endpoint device and the time unit when the beacon was generated; and

forwarding the beacon to a server via a third network in response to the hash value of the beacon being valid.