TECHNIQUE FOR DETECTING MODEM DEVICES TO ENHANCE COMPUTER NETWORK SECURITY

摘要

A technique for the identification of unauthorized modems operating within aparticular telecommunications environment. A telecommunications switch is adapted tomonitor the use of modems on the individual telephone lines emanating from a particularpremise. The telecommunications switch detects certain characteristics indicative ofmodem communications across telephone lines by identifying certain signals used, forexample, in standard modem communications. For example, such signals could be thoseas established by industry data communications standards which specify standard signals,tones, handshaking, or other protocols for initiating, continuing and endingcommunications between modems. Advantageously, a telecommunications serviceprovider uses their telecommunications equipment to generate, for example, periodicreports which identify those telephone numbers from particular customer premises whichexhibit modem communications. Thus, the telecommunications and computer systemadministrators of the customer can readily determine, directly from the report, whichtelephone numbers have unauthorized modem connections which pose potential computernetwork security risks.