Method and system for secure emergency access to network devices
US6609197B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 22, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 19, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 22, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L41/28
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and system for providing secure emergency access to network devices. The methods and system described herein can be used to provide secure emergency access to network devices such as routers, telephony switching hubs, etc. Secure emergency access helps close security holes for providing access to configuration parameters in a network device by using an encrypted unit-unique password. The secure emergency access includes generating an encrypted emergency unit-specific password for a specific network device using a unique serial number for the specific network device and a global password used for a type of network device that includes the specific network device. The encrypted emergency unit-specific password is valid only on the specific network device with the unique serial number. The encrypted emergency unit-specific password is used to regain access to a specific network device for which an original password has been lost or misplaced. The secure emergency access can also be used for wireless phones to limit access to a network device identifier and telephone number data to prevent “cloning.”
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.