Patent Publication Number: US-9430621-B2

Title: Secure provisioning of network services

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/158,224, entitled “Systems and Methods for Secure Provisioning of Consumer Network Services,” filed on Jun. 10, 2011, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,972,536, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to network services. More particularly, the present invention relates to provisioning of network services. 
     2. Background Art 
     As consumer desire to access information has increased over time, providers of such access have increasingly turned to tiered systems to automatically parcel out and bill for such access. Tiered systems allow a subscriber to choose a particular tier based on their specific usage, which can increase subscriber satisfaction with their service. 
     Unfortunately, tiered systems require a robust provisioning system to enforce the tiers, and some conventional insecure provisioning systems used to create and enforce such tiers have been compromised by subscribers in order to access information outside their particular subscription. This has led to a loss of subscribers due to congestion perceived as over-subscription, and has reduced the cost effectiveness of the tiered system overall. 
     Additionally, access providers, such as internet access providers (ISPs), have bundled different types of network services in with their primary access subscription in order to better compete with other ISPs. But, this bundling has led to ever-increasing costs of hardware used to provide each type of network service, and thus any susceptibility to manipulation by subscribers has a multiplicative risk of loss to the ISPs. 
     Accordingly, there is a need to overcome the drawbacks and deficiencies in the art by providing cost effective systems and methods for secure provisioning of network services. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application is directed to systems and methods for secure provisioning of consumer network services, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  presents a diagram of a system for secure provisioning of consumer network services, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  presents a diagram of a system for secure provisioning of consumer network services, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3 a    presents a diagram of a conventional system; 
         FIG. 3 b    presents a diagram of a system for secure provisioning of consumer network services, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  presents flowchart of a method for secure provisioning of consumer network services, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application is directed to systems and methods for secure provisioning of consumer network services. The following description contains specific information pertaining to the implementation of the present invention. One skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be implemented in a manner different from that specifically discussed in the present application. Moreover, some of the specific details of the invention are not discussed in order not to obscure the invention. The specific details not described in the present application are within the knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The drawings in the present application and their accompanying detailed description are directed to merely exemplary embodiments of the invention. To maintain brevity, other embodiments of the invention, which use the principles of the present invention, are not specifically described in the present application and are not specifically illustrated by the present drawings. Unless noted otherwise, like or corresponding elements among the figures may be indicated by like or corresponding reference numerals. Moreover, the drawings and illustrations in the present application are generally not to scale, and are not intended to correspond to actual relative dimensions. 
       FIG. 3 a    shows conventional modem  340   a  typically used by internet service providers (ISPs) to provide internet access to their subscribers, and exemplifies some of the undesirable attributes of conventional provisioning systems. As shown in  FIG. 3 a   , conventional modem  340   a  includes controller  342   a  linked to volatile random access memory (RAM)  344   a , relatively large flash  345   a  and external interfaces  347   a  using respective interface links  374   a ,  375   a  and  377   a . As can be seen from  FIG. 3 a   , flash  345   a  of conventional modem  340   a  is typically a relatively large non-volatile flash memory, such as 4-8 megabytes or larger, sized to store an operating system, configuration data, and any software required to use external interfaces  347   a . External interfaces  347   a  include at least one subscription interface, such as a digital subscriber line (DSL) interface, for example, and at least one user interface to provide internet access to a subscriber. Typical conventional modems, however, include multiple user interfaces, each of which require additional software to be stored in flash  345   a.    
     In order for internet service providers (ISPs) to compete for subscribers, additional user interfaces and user interface functionality may be designed into conventional modem  340   a , which requires further additional software to be stored in flash  345   a , which, in turn, necessitates a larger flash  345   a . However, flash memory is relatively expensive, and can account for a large fraction of the total cost of conventional modem  340   a , particularly as additional user interfaces are added to external interfaces  347   a . Thus, the initial cost to an ISP to provide internet access to a subscriber is undesirably large, and furthermore undesirably increases with competitive pressure for features. 
     In addition, upon being power cycled, and in part because flash  345   a  contains all software required to use all external interfaces  347   a , conventional modem  340   a  enables all interface links  374   a ,  375   a  and  377   a , as well as all external interfaces  347   a . This typically means that regardless of whether a subscription interface link is established, any feature-rich and relatively expensive to implement user interfaces are functional. As such, conventional modem  340   a  is undesirably portable, meaning that a subscriber may discontinue service with a first ISP providing the modem yet keep the relatively expensive added functionality of the modem and perhaps use it with a competitor second ISP. Thus, an ISPs return on investment for providing competitive functionality may be undesirably foreshortened. 
     Moreover, because flash  345   a  is non-volatile storage, technologically adept subscribers may be able to more easily access data in flash  345   a , such as operating system data, configuration data, and software used to enable any of external interfaces  347   a , and be able to clandestinely manipulate conventional modem  340   a  into supplying internet access or other functionality that is, for example, outside their subscription limits or against their ISP&#39;s terms of service. 
       FIG. 3 b    shows broadband modem  340   b  for securely provisioning network services, according to one embodiment of the present inventive concepts, that addresses many of the undesirable features of conventional modem  340   a  detailed above. As shown in  FIG. 3 b   , broadband modem  340   b  includes controller  342   b  with relatively large embedded memory, such as read-only memory (ROM)  343   b , volatile RAM  344   b , relatively small flash  345   b , unmanaged interfaces  346   b  and managed interfaces  348   b . Controller  342   b  may comprise, for example, any processor that can be configured to execute code for securely provisioning a network service, such as internet access, for example, or a collection of managed interfaces, as will be explained more fully below. Controller  342   b  may include relatively large embedded memory, such as ROM  343   b , for example, that may be an on-chip non-volatile memory sized to store enough software to enable and utilize unmanaged interfaces  346   b , as well as to initialize controller  342   b . ROM  346   b  may be programmed at a time of fabrication, for example, by a manufacturer according to specifications provided by, for example, an ISP. 
     ROM  346   b  may be made relatively large without significantly increasing a cost of, for example, controller  342   b , as the fabrication process for controller  342   b  may not be substantially altered when fabricating a relatively large ROM. In some embodiments, ROM  346   b  may be one megabit in size without significantly increasing a cost or power requirement for controller  342   b . By way of contrasting example, ROM  343   a  of controller  342   a  in  FIG. 3 a    is typically much smaller than ROM  343   b  of controller  342   b , and is sized only to store enough data to initialize controller  342   a  since controller  342   a  can access a large volume of non-volatile data stored on flash  345   a.    
     At a start up time of broadband modem  340   b , such as entering a powered state for example, controller  342   b  may be configured to automatically enable unmanaged interfaces  346   b  using software stored in ROM  343   b . Unmanaged interfaces  346   b  may comprise one or more subscription interfaces, for example, such as a DSL interface, that can be used to establish a subscription interface link with an ISP, for example, using software such as a DSL physical layer (PHY) situated within ROM  343   b , for instance. Upon establishing a subscription interface link, controller  342   b  may be configured to download, over the subscription interface link, a subscriber firmware that enables managed interfaces  348   b , for example, thus allowing controller  342   b  to provision network services corresponding to enabled managed interfaces  348   b . Downloaded subscriber firmware may be stored in volatile RAM  344   b , for example, or in a volatile cache memory of controller  342   b , for instance, and may be automatically erased when broadband modem  340   b  loses power. Thus, upon power cycling broadband modem  340   b , such as re-establishing power after power loss, or after a software enabled re-boot, for example, the downloaded subscriber firmware may be erased so as to disable managed interfaces  348   b.    
     Because controller  342   b  internally includes enough software to enable and utilize unmanaged interfaces  346   b , broadband modem  340   b  may be configured to provision network services much more securely than is possible by, for example, conventional modem  340   a . For instance, software stored in ROM  343   b  and/or RAM  344   b  of broadband modem  340   b  may be extremely difficult for a subscriber to access or manipulate, as compared to accessing software in flash  345   a  of conventional modem  340   a , for example. In addition, because only unmanaged interfaces  346   b  are enabled and able to be utilized at start up, there may be fewer access points to harden against subscriber intrusion at start up, which can simplify implementing protective security measures. Furthermore, broadband modem  340   b  may include a multitude of additional user interfaces within managed interfaces  348   b  without risking portability and loss of return on investment, as described above, because that competitive functionality may only be enabled when the subscriber allows broadband modem  340   b  to establish a valid subscription interface link over unmanaged interfaces  346   b , as described above. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 3 b    is relatively small flash  345   b  coupled to controller  342   b  using interface link  375   b . In some embodiments, such as that shown in  FIG. 3B , broadband modem  340   b  may include a relatively small flash, such as flash  345   b , sized to store subscriber configuration data, for example. In one embodiment, flash  345   b  may be embedded in controller  342   b . In such embodiments, controller  342   b  may be configured to establish a subscription interface link using subscriber configuration data stored in flash  345   b , such as a username and a password for authenticating a subscriber, for example. Flash  345   b  may be approximately as small as 8 kilobytes, for instance, and thus be much less expensive to include in broadband  340   b  than, for example, conventionally large flash  345   a  in conventional modem  340   a . Also, because of the relatively small size of flash  345   b , interface link  375   b  may be a relatively low speed and inexpensive to implement interface link as compared to interface link  375   a  of conventional modem  340   a , for example. By contrast, RAM  344   b  may be the same size as RAM  344   a  of conventional modem  340   a , for example, or may be substantially larger than RAM  344   a  without significantly increasing a cost of broadband modem  340   b , for instance, due to the relatively low cost of volatile memory. Thus, RAM  344   b  may be sized sufficiently to store downloaded subscriber firmware, for example, as well as any working data used to facilitate use of a wide array of user interfaces within managed interfaces  348   b , for instance, without significantly increasing a cost of broadband modem  340   b.    
     Although interface links  374   b ,  375   b  and  378   b  are depicted as separate from managed interfaces  3481  in  FIG. 3 b   , this should not be taken as a limitation of the present inventive concepts. For example, in other embodiments, ROM  343   b  may only contain enough software to enable and utilize interface link  376   b  and unmanaged interfaces  346   b , such that controller  342   b  is unable to enable or utilize interface links  374   b ,  375   b  or  378   b , or corresponding RAM  344   b , flash  345   b  or managed interfaces  348   b   6 , before establishing a subscription interface link over unmanaged interfaces  346   b  and downloading subscriber firmware enabling each item. In such embodiments, interface links  374   b ,  375   b  or  378   b  may be considered managed interfaces, as described above, that are disabled and secured upon power cycling broadband modem  340   b . In other embodiments, interface links  374   b  and/or  375   b  may be considered unmanaged interfaces and be enabled upon initialization of controller  342   b , for example. 
     Additionally, although unmanaged interfaces  346   b  have been described above as including a subscription interface link, it should be understood that unmanaged interfaces  346   b  may include additional interfaces also enabled by controller  342   b  using software stored within ROM  343   b , for example, that may be utilized to facilitate troubleshooting, for instance, or a particular means of subscriber authentication. For example, in some embodiments, unmanaged interfaces  346   b  may include a serial port interface, for example, configured to provide debug information under fault conditions. In other embodiments, unmanaged interfaces  346   b  may include a universal serial bus (USB) interface, for example, and controller  342   b  may be configured to establish a subscription interface link over the USB interface, for instance, using a USB modem for example. Alternatively, where unmanaged interfaces  346   b  includes a subscription interface in addition to a USB interface, controller  342   b  may be configured to establish a subscription interface link over a subscription interface separate from the USB interface, but use the USB interface for a multi-part authentication of the subscription interface link, utilizing a USB security dongle, for example. 
       FIG. 1  shows provisioning system  100  configured to securely provision network services using one or more broadband modems similar to broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   , according to one embodiment of the present inventive concepts. As shown in  FIG. 1 , provisioning system  100  includes subscription server  110 , wide area network (WAN)  120 , headend  130 , broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c , and respective managed services  160   a ,  160   b  and  160   c . Although provisioning system  100  is depicted as including only one subscription server, one headend and three broadband modems, it should be understood that this is not a limitation of the present inventive concepts, and, in other embodiments, provisioning system  100  may include multiple subscription servers, multiple headends, perhaps multiple layers of headends, and any number of broadband modems linked to each headend. 
     As noted above, broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c  in  FIG. 1  correspond to broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   ; e.g., each may be configured to exhibit the same features and/or operate substantially the same as its counterpart. For example, Managed interface links  150  couple managed interfaces of broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c , such as managed interfaces  348   b  of broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   , for example, to respective managed services  160   a ,  160   b  and  160   c . Managed services  160   a ,  160   b  and  160   c  may be subscriber specific, for example, and may include one or more concurrent network services such as wired and wireless networking, for example, touting, network security and the like, as is explained more fully below with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     Also shown in  FIG. 1  are subscription interface links  136  coupling broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c  to headend  130 . Subscription interface links  136  may comprise any interface capable of establishing a data link between a broadband modem and a headend of an ISP, for example, which may be used to access a wide area network (WAN), such as WAN  120  in  FIG. 1 . For example, subscription interface links  136  may comprise one or more of a DSL interface link, a broadband cable interface link, or other wired or wireless broadband interface links, for example, with corresponding interfaces within unmanaged interfaces  346   b  of broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   , for instance. For instance, subscription interface links  136  may comprise any wired or wireless telephony broadband communications technology or protocol, such as DSL or HSPDA, for example, may comprise asynchronous or synchronous data transfer, may include any version DOCSIS standard technology, and may comprise any number of wireless or mobile broadband technologies, such as WiMAX, for example. 
     Each subscription interface link  136 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , may comprise an initial subscription interface link established over an enabled unmanaged interface, such as an interface within unmanaged interfaces  346   b  of broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   , for example, or may comprise a high bandwidth subscription interface link established over an enabled managed interface, such as an interface within managed interfaces  348   b  of broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   , for example. For example, broadband modem  140   a  may be configured to establish an initial low bandwidth subscription interface link with headend  130  over an unmanaged interface, for example, and then download, over the low bandwidth subscription interface, subscriber firmware enabling a high bandwidth subscription interface corresponding to a high bandwidth subscription interface link, for example. For instance, in one embodiment, an initial subscription interface link may comprise a low bandwidth DSL interface link, for example, which can be used to download subscriber firmware enabling a relatively high bandwidth wireless broadband interface. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , subscriber firmware may be downloaded from headend  130 , for example, and/or from subscription server  110 . In embodiments where subscriber firmware is only downloaded from subscription server  110 , for example, headend  130  may be used, by an ISP for example, to help establish and/or authenticate subscription interface links  136 , for instance, and to consolidate and control access to WAN  120  and subscription server  110  over consolidated link  122  and indirect link  116  or direct link  118 , for example. In other embodiments, headend  130  may additionally be used to distribute subscriber firmware to broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c  to enable respective managed services  160   a ,  160   b  and  160   c.    
     Headend  130  may comprise any network connected device, for example, capable of accepting multiple subscription interface links, such as subscription interface links  136 , for example, and consolidating those links and controlling access to, for example, WAN  120  by broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c , for example. In some embodiments, headend  130  may be configured to supply downloadable subscriber firmware to coupled broadband modems, for example, such that each broadband modem may only require enough software in its individual ROM, such as ROM  343   b  of broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   , for example, to establish a subscription interface link  136  and download the subscriber firmware from headend  130 . 
     In other embodiments, however, where headend  130  may be under considerable load just to facilitate subscription interface links and to consolidate and control access to WAN  120 , for example, headend  130  may be configured to instead provide a small portion of subscriber firmware, for example, such as an internet address or routing information for a coupled broadband modem to use to download at least an additional portion of subscriber firmware from subscription server  110 . 
     Under such circumstances, each coupled broadband modem may require additional software in its individual ROM to both establish a subscription interface link to headend  130  and to use routing information, for example, to download subscriber firmware from subscription server  110 . Alternatively, a broadband modem may include a ROM, such as ROM  343   b  in  FIG. 3 b   , for example, with routing information to subscription server  110  already programmed within it. Thus, an ISP may tailor a size of a ROM of a broadband modem according to limitations of an already built infrastructure or other design specifications, in order to minimize overall cost for providing distributed managed services, such as managed services  160   a ,  160   b  an  160   c , for example. 
     Subscription server  110  may be configured to provide a single distribution point for subscriber firmware to headend  130  and/or broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c , for example, to simplify overall network management. Subscription server  110  may comprise any network connectable device that may be configured to accept requests from headend  130  or broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c , for example, and provide subscriber firmware over, for example, indirect link  116  or direct link  118 . In some embodiments, subscription server  110  may supply subscriber specific firmware tailored to a specific subscriber, and may be configured to manage such firmware according to rules instituted by an ISP, for example. In other embodiments, subscription server  110  may be configured to supply a generic subscriber firmware to headend  130 , where headend  130  may be configured to make subscriber specific changes to the generic subscriber firmware tailored for each subscriber. 
     By providing a wide range of management opportunities for subscriber firmware, embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide an ISP with a variety of different ways to optimize a secure network service provisioning system. For example, in some embodiments, provisioning system  100  may omit subscription server  110  in order to reduce intra-network complexity, for example, and put additional load on headend  130 . Alternatively, as explained above, provisioning system may be configured such that broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c  download subscriber firmware from subscription server  110 , which reduces a load on headend  130  but introduces intra-network complexity and additional programming and possibly size requirements for ROMs of the broadband modems. In all embodiments, however, provisioning system  100  provides secure provisioning of network services, such as managed services  160   a ,  160   b  and  160   c  of  FIG. 1 , because subscriber firmware is only available to subscribers in a volatile form, as explained above, and because all managed services are disabled upon a loss of power or software enabled re-boot. 
       FIG. 2  shows subscriber system  200  illustrating some examples of managed services that may be provided securely utilizing embodiments of the present inventive concepts. As shown in  FIG. 2 , subscriber system  200  includes broadband modem  240  providing network services for telephone  262 , set-top box (STB)  264 , personal computers (PCs)  261  and  267 , and external hard drive  268 . Broadband modem  240  and subscription interface link  236  of  FIG. 2  correspond, respectively, to broadband modems  140   a ,  140   b  and  140   c  and subscription interface links  136  of  FIG. 1 ; e.g., each may be configured to exhibit the same features and/or operate substantially the same as its counterpart. For example, broadband modem  240  may include a ROM and a controller, where the controller is configured to download subscriber firmware from a subscription server enabling one or more of the managed interfaces corresponding to the managed interface links shown in  FIG. 2 . Furthermore, the downloaded subscriber firmware may be configured to allow utilization of each of the interfaces. 
     For example, upon being enabled by subscriber firmware downloaded over subscription interface link  236 , a telephony interface, such as plain old telephone service (POTS) link  252 , for example, may be configured to connect to a standard telephone, for example, and broadband modem  240  may be configured to provide telephone service, such as internet protocol (IP) telephone service, using subscription interface link  236 . In other embodiments, POTS link  252  may instead be a cellular link. Similarly, broadband modem  240  may be configured, by downloaded subscriber firmware for example, to use media link  254  to provide video data to STB  264 , for example, for display to a subscriber using display  265 . Media link  254  may comprise a cable TV link, HDMI link, or even an analog RCA link, and may be configured to provide digital data or analog media to STB  264 , for example. 
     Broadband modem  240  may also be configured, by downloaded subscriber firmware, to provide wired or wireless local area networking to PCs  261  and  267 . For example, such downloaded subscriber firmware may enable a network switch integral with broadband modem  240 , for example, and configure broadband modem  240  to act as a residential gateway, router, firewall, WiFi encryption/security, or network address translation device that may configurable by a subscriber through, for example, local area network (LAN) link  250 . Such configuration data may be stored internally in broadband modem  240 , for example, such an in a relatively small internal flash, or can be stored in a headend or a subscription server accessed using subscription interface link  236 . Additionally, downloaded subscriber firmware may be configured to enable a USB interface corresponding to USB link  258 , allowing access to external hard drive  268 , for example, which can be used to provide network attached storage services to, for example, a subscriber using PC  267 . In other embodiments. USB link  258  may instead be an external serial advanced technology attachment (eSATA) link or a firewire link, for example. 
     Although each managed interface corresponding to interface links  250 ,  252 ,  254 ,  256 ,  258  shown in  FIG. 2  are shown as predominately enabled and functioning in  FIG. 2 , it should be understood that downloaded subscriber firmware may be modularized, for example, such that only some or one of the managed interfaces is enabled according to the subscription contracted for by the subscriber and the specific subscription firmware module downloaded. By providing such a modular system, embodiments of the present invention can advantageously provide granular as well as secure provisioning of network services, by selectively enabling only those network services to the extent they are subscribed, and by disabling all network services corresponding to managed interfaces upon power loss, for example, or a power cycle forced by an ISP through, for example, the downloaded subscriber firmware. 
       FIG. 4  shows a flow chart illustrating a method for a controller of a broadband modem, such as controller  342   b  of broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b    for example, for secure provisioning of a network service, such as any of the subscribed services depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , for example, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Certain details and features have been left out of flowchart  400  that are apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. For example, a step may consist of one or more substeps or may involve specialized equipment, as known in the art. Steps  410  through  450  indicated in flowchart  400  are sufficient to describe one embodiment of the present invention; however, other embodiments of the invention may make use of steps different from those shown in flowchart  400 . Embodiments of the present invention, as depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , will be used to explain the method illustrated by flowchart  400  in  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring now to step  410  of the method embodied in  FIG. 4 , step  410  of flowchart  400  comprises controller  342   b  detecting a power-on state of broadband modem  340   b  in  FIG. 3 b   . In one embodiment, a power-on state may be detected at start up of broadband modem  340   b , for example. In other embodiments, a power-on state may be detected after a re-boot, for example, that may be forced by an ISP using either headend  130  in  FIG. 1  or a downloaded subscriber firmware, or a combination of both. 
     Continuing with step  420  in  FIG. 4 , step  420  comprises controller  342   b  enabling an unmanaged interface of broadband modem  340   b . As described above, ROM  343   b  may be configured to contain software to initialize controller  342   b  and to enable unmanaged interfaces  346   b , which may comprise one or more interfaces able to form and/or authenticate a subscription interface link. For example, in one embodiment, ROM  343   b  may include a DSL PHY enabling a DSL interface of broadband modem  340   b . Such DSL PHY may include an ability to perform a handshake with headend  130  in  FIG. 1 , for example, and to perform an authentication step, as will be described below. 
     Moving now to step  430  in  FIG. 4 , step  430  comprises controller  342   b  establishing subscription interface link  136  in  FIG. 1  over an enabled unmanaged interface of unmanaged interfaces  346   b . As noted above, in some embodiments, this may include a handshake process performed with headend  130  in  FIG. 1 , as well as an authentication step. For instance, in one embodiment, ROM  343   b  may include a modem-specific identifier that may be used to securely identify and thus authenticate broadband modem  340   b  to, for example, headend  130 . Alternatively, where broadband modem  340   b  is configured to access relatively small flash  345   b , for example, broadband modem  340   b  may be configured to authenticate to headend  130  using subscriber specific data in flash  345   b . Regardless of the method used to establish subscription interface link  136 , all software needed to establish such a link resides within ROM  343   b  of controller  342   b.    
     Continuing with step  440  in  FIG. 4 , step  440  comprises controller  342   b  downloading, over subscription interface link  136 , a subscriber firmware enabling at least one of managed interfaces  348   b  corresponding to a desired network service, such as any of the network services associated with interface links  250 ,  252 ,  254 ,  256 ,  258  shown in  FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, and as described above, such subscription firmware may be downloaded from headend  130  in  FIG. 1 , for example, or from subscription server  110 , or partly from both. 
     Step  450  in  FIG. 4  comprises controller  342   b  executing a subscriber firmware, downloaded as described above, thereby enabling at least one of managed interfaces  348   b  and provisioning a corresponding network service, such as any of the network services associated with interface links  250 ,  252 ,  254 ,  256 ,  258  shown in  FIG. 2 , as explained above. For example, a subscriber firmware may be configured to enable wireless local area network (WLAN) link  256  and provision WLAN  266  for wireless networking between subscriber PCs, for example. As such, the subscriber firmware may include software for residential gateway services for WLANs, such as routing, firewall, wireless encryption, and the like. 
     As explained above, by providing such a configurable secure provisioning system and method, embodiments of the present invention provide a competitive advantage to ISPs by allowing ISPs to include a wide array of additional features without risking portability or subscriber manipulation of hardware, firmware, or subscription limits. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention allow secure provisioning systems to be manufactured significantly more cost effectively by removing costs associated with relatively large flash implementations. 
     From the above description of the invention it is manifest that various techniques can be used for implementing the concepts of the present invention without departing from its scope. Moreover, while the invention has been described with specific reference to certain embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. As such, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. It should also be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of many rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention.