Patent Application
20090019170
The present invention generally relates to telecommunication systems and methods as well as communication security. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention pertains to a system and method for providing and maintaining communication trust scores for a plurality of communication paths, including the function of ensuring that a digital communication occurs over a network path having the requisite security level.
With the emergence of digital communication, such as VoIP, security hasn't been a particularly important topic. In the past, most IP traffic remained on local and wide area enterprise networks, which were relatively secure and protected from the public Internet. But as digital communication usage is becoming widespread and Internet telephony is coming into play, enterprises and home users are becoming subject to the same security risks that have affected data networks for decades, thus opening the door to a whole new realm of security risks. This is largely due to the fact that next-generation voice networks are IP-based and the IP protocols were designed for best-effort data transport.
Currently, digital communication traffic over the Internet is mostly unencrypted. As such, anyone with network access can listen in on conversations. This enables an eavesdropper to tap audio conversations in an unsecured environment. However, in the corporate or call center world, these communications may contain valuable business information, credit card numbers, or other information that must be secured from public access. Other problems exist, such as masquerading, man-in-the-middle attacks, etc.
VoIP traffic can be broken into call signaling, call control, and audio communications. Depending on the VoIP protocol and policies used, these communications may use either one channel or many different channels, which are TCP/UDP connections between two network elements. From a security point of view, all of these connections may need to be secured, i.e. authenticated and encrypted. Other mechanisms that may provide security include authorization, authentication, Transport Layer Security (TLS), Virtual Private Networks (VPN), and media encryption (SRTP).
These security requirements can place quite a burden on the computer infrastructure of a provider. As such, the primary challenge is to know which communications require extra security and which devices and network paths can provide it. As digital communication evolves, a variety of devices are likely to be found on networks providing varying levels of security. Determining an efficient way to route communications so that they receive the requisite security level is a difficult task. Thus, there is a continuing need for further advancements in the security and efficiency of digital telephony.
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for selectively routing digital communications over a digital network comprising a plurality of network segments. A routing server receives a request for a digital communication session. The routing server then identifies a network route having a calculated route security score sufficient for the communication session requested. The routing server then notifies a gateway server of the selected route and allows the communication to be established along said route.
In one embodiment, the routing server receives a security level required score from a requesting digital telephone station. In a further form, the route security rating is calculated as a function of at least one security rating associated with a network segment. In a still further form, the route security rating is the minimum of the collective security ratings associated with the plurality of network segments which comprise the network route.
In yet another embodiment, the network endpoints under control of the routing server are each assigned a security rating. That rating may be based on the access level of the current user logged in, the security of the location of the network endpoint device, or the level of monitoring which occurs of the devices use. This allows for the protection of potentially sensitive information, such as from recording, transcription, or other wrongful dissemination.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are described in further detail in the detailed description and drawings contained herein. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Yet other forms, embodiments, objects, advantages, benefits, features, and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and drawings contained herein.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
One implementation includes a unique system and methods for providing and maintaining communication trust scores for a plurality of network segments, including the function of ensuring that a digital communication occurs over a network path having the requisite security level, such as between a number of contact centers. It shall be understood that the principles of the present invention may also be applied to similar systems, such as by way of non-limiting example, a corporate telephony system.
More specifically, system 20 includes several servers, namely gateway servers 24a, 24b and 24c and routing servers 25a, 25b, and 25c, each located at location A, B, and C respectively. Locations A, B, and C may be situated in geographically distinct locations, may be logical divisions, or any combination of the two. System 20 also includes a plurality of client workstations 30a, 30b, and 30c. It shall be appreciated that each location A, B, or C may include one or more gateway servers 24, routing servers 25, or agent workstations 30, but that only one at each location has been shown to preserve clarity. Furthermore, although computers 21 are each illustrated as being a server or client, it should be understood that any of computers 21 may be arranged to include a client and server and/or that more or fewer may be utilized in alternative embodiments.
Gateway servers 24 and routing servers 25 include one or more processors or CPUs (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, and 50f respectively) and one or more types of memory (52a, 52b, 52c, 52d, 52e, and 52f respectively). Each memory 52, includes a removable memory device (54a, 54b, 54c, 54d, 54e, and 54f respectively). Although not shown to preserve clarity, each computer 21 of computer system 20 includes one or more processors or CPUs and one or more types of memory. Each processor may be comprised of one or more components configured as a single unit. Alternatively, when of a multi-component form, a processor may have one or more components located remotely relative to the others. One or more components of each processor may be of the electronic variety defining digital circuitry, analog circuitry, or both. In one embodiment, each processor is of a conventional, integrated circuit microprocessor arrangement, such as one or more PENTIUM III or PENTIUM 4 processors supplied by INTEL Corporation of 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, Calif. 95052, USA.
Each memory (removable or generic) is one form of computer-readable device. Each memory may include one or more types of solid-state electronic memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, just to name a few. By way of non-limiting example, each memory may include solid-state electronic Random Access Memory (RAM), Sequentially Accessible Memory (SAM) (such as the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) variety or the Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) variety), Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM), Electronically Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), or Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM); an optical disc memory (such as a DVD or CD ROM); a magnetically encoded hard disc, floppy disc, tape, or cartridge media; or a combination of any of these memory types. Also, each memory may be volatile, nonvolatile, or a hybrid combination of volatile and nonvolatile varieties.
System 20 further illustrates Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 40 coupled to at least one gateway server, such as gateway server 24a, by pathway 46. External telephones 44, such as analog telephones 44a, may be coupled to the PSTN 40 by pathway 48. It should be understood that callers using analog telephones 44a will normally connect to the PSTN 40 by dialing a standard directory phone number, such as an “800” number corresponding to a contact center operated at Location A. The PSTN then sends a connection request to the gateway server 24a, which translates the request to a digital format for retransmission to a selected destination, such as agent workstation 30a. The client workstation 30a then establishes an audio connection with the PSTN, using gateway server 24a as the digital/analog conversion point.
Alternatively, other callers using external telephones 44, such as digital telephones 44b, have the option of bypassing both the PSTN 40 and the gateway server 24 and directly dialing the digital address of another gateway server 24 or the routing server 25 either of which may provide or be connected to call queue functionality. In this scenario, the digital telephone sends a connection request, such as a SIP invitation, to the routing server 25 via computer network 22. The routing server 25 then establishes a digital audio connection with the digital telephone 44b via network 22. The routing server 25 may then transfer the call to the appropriate destination, such as agent workstation 30a.
Workstations 30 each include a workstation computer 32 coupled to a display 34. Workstation computers 32 may be of the same type or a heterogeneous combination of different computing devices. Likewise, displays 34 may be of the same type, or a heterogeneous combination of different visual devices. It should be understood that while three workstations 30 are described in the illustrative embodiment, more or fewer may be utilized in alternative embodiments. Contact center applications of system 20 typically include many more workstations of this type at one or more physical locations, but only a few are illustrated in
Digital telephones 36a, 36b, and 36c are each associated with a different one of workstations 30a, 30b, and 30c, respectively. Additionally, digital telephones 36 may be integrated into the agent computer 32 and/or implemented in software. It should be understood that digital telephones 36, which are capable of being directly connected to network 22, may be in the form of a handset, headset, or other arrangement as would occur to those skilled in the art. It shall be further understood that the connection from computer network 22 to a workstation 30 can be made first to the associated workstation phone, then from the workstation phone to the workstation computer by way of a pass-through connection on the workstation phone. Alternatively, two connections from the network can be made, one to the workstation phone and one to the workstation computer. Although not shown to preserve clarity, each agent workstation 30 may also include one or more operator input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, track ball, light pen, and/or microtelecommunicator, to name just a few representative examples. Also, besides display 34, one or more other output devices may be included such as loudspeaker(s) and/or a printer.
Computer network 22 can be in the form of a Local Area Network (LAN), Municipal Area Network (MAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), such as the Internet, wireless network, a combination of these, or such other network arrangement as would occur to those skilled in the art. The operating logic of system 20 can be embodied in signals transmitted over network 22, in programming instructions, dedicated hardware, or a combination of these. It should be understood that more or fewer computers 21 can be coupled together by computer network 22 and private network 26. It should also be recognized that computer network 22 may additionally include one or more elements of PSTN 40.
In one embodiment, system 20 operates as a contact center at one or more physical locations that are remote from one another with routing server 25 being configured as a contact center server host, and workstations 30 each arranged as a contact center client host. It shall be understood that one or more gateway servers 24 may be included to distribute a communication load, but only one per location has been shown in
It shall be appreciated that if communication data is being sent to a digital device that is connected directly to network 22, no digital/analog conversion is required. As a non-limiting example, an outside caller using a digital phone may establish a direct digital communication stream with an agent workstation after being assigned to that agent by routing server 25. Both signaling and audio stream data between endpoints on network 22 may remain in a digital format. References to digital audio communications in the illustrative embodiment shall be understood to include all forms of digital telephony such as VOIP, SIP, and SRTP to name just a few representative examples. The present system and method may be applied to many other types of communications and their use within the current system and method is desired to be protected.
In the illustrative embodiment, table 100 includes column 102 which uniquely identifies each row associated with a network segment, column 104 for storing a security rating associated with unencrypted communication, and column 106 a security rating associated with encrypted communication. For purposes of illustration, the unique identifier entered in column 102 corresponds to those labels used in
According to the illustrated embodiment, security ratings are assigned on a numerical scale from 0 to 100, with 0 being the least secure and 100 being the most secure. For example, row 110 represents network segment 23c connecting Location C to computer network 22. Computer network 22, in this embodiment, is a public computer network such as the Internet, and thus is not the most secure of all network possibilities. Communications over the Internet are subject to eavesdropping, packet sniffing, spoofing, denial of service attacks, etc. and are often difficult to prevent or trace, thus a low unencrypted rating of 10 is assigned. However, secure communication methods can alleviate many of these problems, with some amount of risk remaining; therefore a relatively strong security rating of 60 for secured communication is assigned. In alternate embodiments, security ratings may be numeric, alphanumeric, color coded, or otherwise. Additionally, table 100 may have only one security rating column for all types of communications, while in further forms table 100 may include even more columns, such as one security column and score for each of a varying number of encryption methods such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Secure Real-Time Protocol Transport (SRTP).
Turning to
Returning to the illustrated embodiment, once a route is selected, routing server 25 compares the route security rating with the security level required for the digital communication session and determined if the potential route meets the communication session's security needs (stage 240). If the route security rating is greater than or equal to the security level required then the routing server 25 notifies gateway server 24 of the pending communication and gateway server completes the communication set up signaling using the supplied route and protocols (stage 250). In the event the communication session is connected, the process ends at end point 290. In an alternate form, in order to provide functionality, instead of just blocking the call if no route for the required rating is found, the routing server 25 may prompt the user whether they want to connect the communication at a lower available security level. In yet another embodiment, the downgrade may be automatic but accompanied by an aural and/or visual cue to the participants of the communication that the communication is proceeding with a lower security level, such as a soft tone/beep every 10 seconds.
In the event the potential network route's security rating does not meet the security level required by the pending digital communication in stage 240, the routing server 25 determines if additional network routes exist (stage 260). If additional routes do exist, the process proceeds to select an alternate route (stage 270). The additional route is then returned to stage 230 for route security rating determination. However, if additional network routes do not exist, then the communication is blocked (stage 280) and the process ends at end point 290.
Preferably, procedure 200 allows for the connection of a digital communication session in either an unencrypted or encrypted form. As illustrated by table 100 in
Turning to
Referring to
Turning to a further embodiment, the security rating of the each network endpoint involved in a digital communication may be required to meet the security level required by the digital communication request. That rating may be based on the access level of the current user logged in, the security of the location of the network endpoint device, or the level of monitoring which occurs of the devices use. This allows for the protection of potentially sensitive information, such as from recording, transcription, or other wrongful dissemination.
For example, returning to
Turning to a digital multi-party conferencing embodiment,
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all equivalents, changes, and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions as described herein and/or by the following claims are desired to be protected.
Hence, the proper scope of the present invention should be determined only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all such modifications as well as all relationships equivalent to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification.
