VoIP Countersurveillance System

Abstract

A system for detecting undesirable data transfer is disclosed. An intermediary device is situated between and coupled to a voice over Internet telephone and a private branch exchange Ethernet port, and contains a processor, transceiver, and lighting indicator. When data is exchanged through the intermediary device while the telephone is not in use, the lighting indicator will alert the telephone's primary user that a potential security breach has occurred.

Claims

1) A system for detecting undesirable audio and video data transfers comprising: a VoIP telephone; an Ethernet port; an intermediary device connecting said telephone with said port; and, a means for visibly detecting the transfer of data between said telephone and said port.

2) The system of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the transfer of data is attached to said intermediary device.

3) The system of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the transfer of data is a red/green indicator light.

4) The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary device contains a processor and transceiver.

5) The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary device contains a processor and transceiver, and activates a red/green indicator light external to the device in the presence of VLAN packet data transfer.

6) An apparatus for detecting undesired data transfer, comprising: a hard casing exterior; an interior processor; an interior transceiver; at least two Ethernet ports situated through the external shell; a power adapter; and, a means for visibly demonstrating an active data transfer exterior to the apparatus.

7) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for visibly demonstrating an active data transfer consists of a lighting element.

8) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for visibly demonstrating an active data transfer consists of a red/green indicator light.

9) A method for detecting undesired data transfer comprising: Connecting a VoIP telephone to an intermediary device with a red/green indicator light by means of an Ethernet cable; Connecting said intermediary device to a PBX exchange by means of an Ethernet cable; and, Monitoring said indicator light for a change in color when said phone is not in use.

10) The method of claim 9, wherein said intermediary device further comprises a processor and transceiver.

11) The method of claim 9, wherein said intermediary device further comprises: a transceiver that is configured to sense VLAN packets exchanged between said phone and said PBX exchange; and a processor programmed to receive and determine packet types for a plurality of packets sensed by the transceiver, further determine the presence of VoIP traffic based upon the screened packet types, and activate the red/green indicator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a countersurveillance system featuring an apparatus for identifying and signaling uninitiated VoIP traffic provided by an example of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the system and apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] As used herein, EoC refers to the transmission of Ethernet frame data over coaxial cables. EoC is a favorable technology to use for broadband data transmission, e.g. over local area networks.

[0020] As used herein, HDMI refers to high-definition multimedia interface technology allowing digital audio and video data to be transferred between communications and computing devices.

[0021] As used herein, PBX refers to a private branch exchange. A PBX concerns a network of telephone communications devices within an organization that allows for each device to access a public switched telephone network, while also allowing two devices within the organization to exchange information, or connect, without having to access the public network.

[0022] As used herein, PHY refers to the Ethernet physical layer transistor, or a transceiver technology designed to transmit signal over a variety of media over long distances.

[0023] As used herein, PSTN refers to the public switched telephone network, or the global network of circuit-switched telephone technologies including but not limited to infrastructure such as telephone lines, fiber optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, and communication satellites.

[0024] As used herein, RTP refers to real-time transport protocol, or a data transfer standard that is the primary standard for audio/video transfer and streaming.

[0025] As used herein, SIP refers to session initiation protocol, or a signaling standard primarily used for initiation and termination of digital voice or video calls.

[0026] As used herein, SOAP refers to simple object access protocol, or an information exchange protocol specific to Internet based services.

[0027] As used herein, UDP refers to user datagram protocol, established and known in the industry.

[0028] As used herein, USB refers to universal serial bus, an established set of industry standards governing physical interconnections for Internet accessing or computing devices.

[0029] As used herein, VLAN refers to a virtual local area network, or a means of network segmentation of digital data often separating Ethernet traffic.

[0030] The unique attributes of the novel countersurveillance system are presented in detailed embodiments below. Chiefly, the Ethernet based apparatus described in this application is designed to enable any user of a networked device, irrespective of technical and information systems sophistication, to determine whether uninitiated and undesired activity is occurring on the user's respective network. The embodiments below are presented as designed or tested illustrations only, and are not meant to limit the apparatus from extension to alternative, similar embodiments.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, a novel VoIP telephone monitoring device 100 is presented. The performance and security benefits of the unique device are accomplished by introducing into a passively connected electrical box a means for detecting audio and video data transmissions and registering such activity on an externally visible green/red indicator light 110, thereby allowing a proximate network user, such as a company employee, to recognize a potential security breach.

[0032] When connected to a VoIP phone 200, the novel device 100 provides continuous monitoring of voice traffic by analyzing traffic in each direction between the phone 200 and a private branch exchange (PBX) 300. When the phone is not in use, a green light indicates a lack of data exchange between the phone 200 and PBX 300. When the device detects voice traffic, the indicator light 110 emits a red color. A proximate user of the phone system will thus be alerted to unauthorized transfer of data if the red light is activated while the phone is in its passive, on-hook position. In other words, when an individual is not using his or her phone 200, there should be no RTP data exchanged by the phone with any third party through the PBX 300, other than routine exchange identifying the existence, operability, and/or connectivity between the phone and PBX.

[0033] The red/green indicator 110 may be solidly attached to or manufactured into the device. Alternatively, the indicator 110 may be one that is connected by Ethernet, USB, or similar means to the device, and is thus extendable to a position of high visibility by the phone user, such as a computer mounted position.

[0034] The present device is presented as a rectangular box with hard casing. The front of the device features inputs, while with opposite, rear side ports for Ethernet connectivity and a power adaptor, unless otherwise passively powered through the Ethernet feed-through. The casing may consist of plastic, metal, or any other durable material well suited to protect internal electronics from damage and dust. Device connectivity inputs may accommodate USB, HDMI, or any commonly used data transfer mechanisms.

[0035] Housed within the box are an Ethernet physical layer receiver, and processor unit coupled to a memory device. In a first embodiment, a TI SubArctic AM335x processor is utilized with a Micrel KSZ9031 GB Ethernet PHY transceiver. A number of alternative processors and receivers exist, such as other manufactures of Ethernet PHY. As optical fiber and Ethernet over Coax (EoC) cable becomes affordable for LAN and Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications, respective compatible processors and receivers can be substituted for the PHY technologies used in this first embodiment.

[0036] The embedded receiver is configured to sense VLAN packets exchanged between the VoIP phone and its router, switch, hub or PBX. The coupled processor is programmed to receive and determine packet types for a plurality of packets sensed by the receiver, further determine the presence of VoIP traffic based upon the screened packet types, and activate the red/green indicator, causing a change in coloration or other visual indicator such as a blinking light, based upon a determination of the existence of VoIP traffic.

[0037] The device may be considered an active or passive tap. In a first embodiment, an active tap is featured allowing a single interface into the processor for monitoring traffic in both directions.

[0038] The indicator of the first embodiment consists of an Ethernet connected red/green indicator. The indicator could alternatively consist of a visual indicator, red/green or otherwise, wirelessly connected to the box. An effective indicator may be supplemented by, or alternatively register the presence of VoIP traffic through audio alert, for example as an embedded speaker in the device.

[0039] In addition to the yes/no surveillance features of the present invention, the processor could be programmed to identify one or more of RTP, SOAP over TCP, SIP, or UDP packets sensed by the adjoining receiver. Information encoded within the packets could be registered as audio or video traffic, extracted and stored within a memory device. Specifically, the processor unit may record the time, length, origination, and destination of the packets on an internal or external memory system.