Patent ID: 9571498
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: H04L

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method for protecting purpose-built appliances on local networks, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: identifying a purpose-built appliance that is installed at a physical site to enhance the physical site with a pre-programmed functionality and that is connected to a local network that operates at the physical site; intercepting, by a router that directs network traffic within the local network, a request from a requesting device to access the pre-programmed functionality of the purpose-built appliance via the local network; querying, from the router, via an authorization channel that is separate from a communication channel used to transmit the request, an owner of the physical site for authorization for the requesting device to access the pre-programmed functionality of the purpose-built appliance via the local network; receiving, by the router, the authorization from the owner of the physical site for the requesting device to access the pre-programmed functionality of the purpose-built appliance via the local network; and forwarding, by the router, the request from the requesting device to the purpose-built appliance in response to receiving the authorization instead of blocking the request at the router.