Patent ID: 8646074
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for enabling otherwise unprotected computing devices to assess the reputations of wireless access points, the method comprising: downloading, at a computing device that does not permit the installation of network-security software capable of controlling the computing device's network activity, at least one module from an application distribution platform that is capable of assessing the reputations of wireless access points; identifying, using the module downloaded from the application distribution platform, at least one wireless access point that is located outside of a region in which the computing device is currently located; obtaining, from a reputation service via the module downloaded from the application distribution platform, reputation information for the wireless access point that identifies the reputation of the wireless access point, wherein the reputation information is based at least in part on prior interactions with the wireless access point by at least one additional computing device; presenting, via the module downloaded from the application distribution platform, the reputation information to a user of the computing device to help the user determine whether to connect to the wireless access point.