Patent Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of network connection in a wireless local area network. The wireless local area network comprises a client, an access point, and an authentication database coupled to the access point. The authentication database comprises a plurality of collections of data entries, wherein each of the collections of data entries comprises a plurality of data entries. The network connection method comprises: passing messages containing queries relating to data entries in the authentication database and receiving responsive answer tags.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Taiwan Patent Application 100123030, filed on Jun. 30, 2011. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to wireless local area networks (WLANs), and more particularly, to prevention of unauthorized intrusion into an access point or a wireless client in a WLAN. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    Early computers usually communicate with each other with a wired local area network (LAN). However, due to the wide use of mobile devices (such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs)), WLANs have evolved into one of the major ways of communication between computers. WLANs effectuate communication by means of various wireless media, such as radio signals and infrared signals. 
         [0004]    Recent years see the rapid and across-the-board growth of portable computing. In addition to wire connection, portable computing relies heavily on a backbone network and a connected WLAN in order to access various network resources. 
         [0005]    Among a wide variety of WLANs, IEEE 802.11 (also known as WiFi) is in wide and intensive use. IEEE 802.11b,g,n adopt an ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical) frequency band that ranges between 2,400 MHz and 2,483.5 MHz. The ISM frequency band is applicable to a spread spectrum system worldwide without requiring a permit. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of WLAN authentication of IEEE 802.11 according to the prior art. To start using a wireless local area network (WLAN), a mobile device has to perform message-based communication in three stages, namely probe request  160 /probe response  164 , authentication request  167 /authentication response  172 , and association request  176 /association response  180 , in their order of occurrence in time. The three stages of message-based communication are regulated by IEEE 802.11. 
         [0007]    In the WLAN, a wireless client typically accesses, via an access point, resources available on a backbone network. The backbone network is usually a cable network (such as Ethernet), another wireless network, or a combination thereof. When an access point enables access to the resources available on a cable network, the access point includes at least a cable network interface, a bridge function, and a wireless network interface, so as to performing traffic bridging between a wireless network and the cable network. 
         [0008]    Due to the wide use of WLANs, network security is a concern that is becoming more important. A WLAN effectuates data transmission by means of radio waves. That is to say, any wireless client within a service area covered by an access point can send data to the access point or receive data from the access point. Conventional WLANs enhance user security by means of service set identifiers (SSID), open or shared key identity authentication, Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) keys, media access control (MAC), Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), etc. 
         [0009]    Compared with a wired local area network, although WLANs manifest greater mobility to users, WLANs attach great importance to communication security. These features of WLANs are especially important, considering that communication security-related issues are absent from the field of wired local area networks. 
         [0010]    For instance, in general, after locating an access point, a wireless client stores its SSID and security (such as WEP or WPA) configuration setting in the wireless configuration of the wireless client. Once the wireless client is connected to the access point again, a wireless device of the wireless client will be automatically connected to the access point. 
         [0011]    However, if a fake access point (fake AP) or a spy access point (spy AP) is in the vicinity of the wireless client and has the same SSID and security configuration setting, or if the spy access point adjusts its wireless connection intensity, the wireless client will be likely to be automatically connected to the spy access point and have its data stolen. 
         [0012]    For example, a hacker can create several fake and spy access points and disguise them as legal hotspots accessible to the general public. The hacker can capture a user&#39;s hotspot logging information (username, password, etc.) and other sensitive information, or access the user&#39;s shared folders as soon as the user gets connected to the fake and spy access points. 
         [0013]    Hence, what offers a new challenge is about providing a way of maintaining high mobility of WLAN users and still preventing a fake and spy network apparatus from stealing a user&#39;s confidential data so as to attain a safe WLAN environment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    An aspect of the present invention is to provide an authentication method based on a puzzle/answer mechanism for efficiently preventing a fake network apparatus from stealing a user&#39;s confidential data so as to attain a safe WLAN environment. 
         [0015]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide security-enhancing technology applicable to a wireless local area network (WLAN) in blocking a fake access point/client or a spy access point/client by means of a puzzle/answer protocol, wherein its client and authentication database each have a collection of data entries for enhancing the security of connection between the client and the access point. 
         [0016]    Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide novel network connection authentication technology whereby each client has its own collection of data entries for communicating and negotiating with an authentication database, wherein the data entries will be deleted from the authentication database when used, so as to prevent unauthorized connection and intrusion effectively. 
         [0017]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a network connection method for use in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The WLAN comprises a client, an access point, and an authentication database coupled to the access point, the authentication database comprising a plurality of collections of data entries. Each of the collections of data entries comprises a plurality of data entries. The network connection method comprises the steps of: receiving by the client one of the collections of data entries in the authentication database; sending a first message carrying an identification tag from the client to the access point; receiving by the access point a second message carrying a query tag, the second message being provided by the authentication database, the query tag being associated with a puzzle, the puzzle being associated with a first data entry of one of the collections of data entries, wherein a first answer to the puzzle is stored in the authentication database and comprises the first data entry; sending a third message carrying the query tag from the access point to the client, the query tag being associated with the puzzle; sending a fourth message carrying an answer tag from the client to the access point and the authentication database, the answer tag being associated with a second answer; and comparing and determining, by the authentication database, whether the first answer and the second answer match, so as to yield a comparison result. 
         [0018]    Before the access point receives the second message, the network connection method further comprises sending a message carrying a puzzle request tag from the access point to the authentication database, so as to request the second message. After the client has sent the fourth message, the network connection method further comprises the steps of: sending a message carrying a compare tag from the access point to the authentication database, so as to compare and determine whether the first answer and the second answer match; and sending the comparison result from the authentication database to the access point. 
         [0019]    The query tag and the answer tag are embedded in an authentication frame. The authentication frame has an authentication header. The authentication header has a frame body field that contains the query tag and the answer tag. The first message comprises a client&#39;s MAC address and a tag for authenticating a puzzle/answer protocol in use. The second message comprises a client&#39;s MAC address and an access point&#39;s MAC address. The third message comprises a client&#39;s MAC address. The fourth message comprises a client&#39;s MAC address. 
         [0020]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product comprising a computer executable procedure step. The computer executable procedure performs network connection in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The WLAN comprises a client, an access point, and an authentication database coupled to the access point. The computer executable procedure step comprises a procedure step for executing the aforesaid method. 
         [0021]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a client for accessing an access point in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The WLAN comprises the access point, an authentication database coupled to the access point and comprising a program memory for storing a procedure step for executing the aforesaid method, and a processor for executing the procedure step stored in the program memory. 
         [0022]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides an access point accessible to a client in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The WLAN comprises a client, an authentication database coupled to the access point and comprising a program memory for storing a procedure step intended to execute the aforesaid method, and a processor for executing the procedure step stored in the program memory. 
         [0023]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless local area network (WLAN) comprising a client, an access point, and an authentication database coupled to the access point, wherein the client, the access point, and the authentication database execute the aforesaid method. 
         [0024]    Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings. 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of authentication of a wireless local area network (WLAN) according to the prior art; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a system according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of authentication of a wireless local area network (W LAN) according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of success of an puzzle/answer transmitted between a wireless client, an access point, and an authentication database of a recipient server according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of receiving collections of data entries from an authentication database at a client according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a network connection in a wireless local area network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a flowchart based on  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , showing that wireless clients each having separate collections of data entries for performing an enigmatic process according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart of a state machine of a puzzle/answer mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of an example of the composition of an authentication frame complying with 802.11 protocol and an example of frame control fields in the authentication frame according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view of communication between a client and an access point applicable to an authentication frame under 802.11 protocol according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0037]      FIG. 11  is a schematic view of how an access point authenticates the MAC address of each wireless client according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0038]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0039]    As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a computer device, a method or a computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in any tangible medium of expression having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium. 
         [0040]    Any combination of one or more computer usable or computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-usable medium may include a propagated data signal with the computer-usable program code embodied therewith, either in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The computer usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc. 
         [0041]    Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer or server may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
         [0042]    The present invention is described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0043]    These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0044]    The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a schematic view of a method, system, and product for use with a network connection in a wireless local area network according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a network system  100  comprises a network  168 , a server  120 , a plurality of authorized access points  108 , and a plurality of wireless clients  104 . The wireless clients  104  are each coupled to the network  168  via a connection  170 , a wireless connection/wire connection, or both, so as to communicate with the access points  108  by, including but not limited to, a wireless means. Depending on the size and scope of an apparatus, the aforesaid devices come in different system types and different connection types. The wireless clients  104  are notebook computer systems, personal digital assistant (PDA) systems, mobile phones, smartphones, desktop computers, or other devices capable of accessing the network  168  by means of the authorized access points  108 .  FIG. 2  also shows that a plurality of wireline clients  124  usually communicates with the network  168  via a wire connection. The network system  100  further comprises access points and wireless clients other than the access points  108  and the wireless clients  104 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 2  also depicts an unauthorized fake or spy access point  106  disguised as a legal hotspot accessible to the general public. It is likely that the unauthorized fake or spy access point  106  is created by an individual or group when information technology management is kept in the dark about the unauthorized fake or spy access point  106  or gives no consent thereto. As mentioned earlier, the unauthorized fake or spy access point  106  is likely to adjust its own wireless connection intensity or have identical SSID and security configuration setting security; as a result, information related to a user is likely to be stolen as soon as the user gets connected to the access point  106 , thereby compromising the security of WLAN environment. 
         [0047]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of authentication of a wireless local area network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein a frame communication process taking place between the wireless client  104  and the access point  108  is depicted. Referring to  FIG. 3 , to access the wireless local area network, the wireless client  104  in an environment sends a probe request (step  212 ). Afterward, the wireless client  104  detects the access point  108  by means of a probe response received by the wireless client  104  from the at least one said access point  108  (step  216 ). After receiving the probe response, the wireless client  104  sends an enigmatic process request (step  220 ) and then waits for an enigmatic process response from the access point  108  (step  224 ). The aforesaid enigmatic process request and enigmatic process response are described in detail later. After receiving the enigmatic response, the wireless client  104  communicates with the access point  108 , using a message of authentication request (step  228 ). At this point in time, the wireless client  104  sends a password to the access point  108  for authentication and then waits for an authentication response from the access point  108  (step  232 ). After the authentication has passed, a link layer-based connection between the wireless client  104  and at least one of the access points  108  is created by means of an association request  236  and an association response  240 . Afterward, the wireless client  104  has to pass authentication of the server  120 , such as an AAA server (authentication, authorization, and accounting server), in order to gain more authority required for accessing network resources. In a preferred embodiment, the wireless client  104  sends to the access point  108  EAP-enabled information (Extensible Authentication Protocol-enable information) under Cross-border Network Extensible Authentication Protocol, and then the access point  108  sends the EAP-enabled information to the server  120  for authentication. After the authentication has passed, the server  120  sends a message to the access point  108  to inform the access point  108  of an EAP success in order to be authorized to receive and send a packet. The aforesaid probe request/probe response, authentication request/authentication response, association request/association response, authorization to access, and authorization to receive and send a packet, which take place between the wireless client  104  and the access point  108 , are governed by IEEE 802.11 or understood by persons skilled in the art and thus are not reiterated herein for the sake of brevity. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a schematic view of the process flow of success of an enigmatic puzzle/answer received by a client  104  from an authentication database of the server  120  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the wireless local area network comprises a client  104 , an access point  108 , and a server  120 . The server  120  has an authentication database  660 . The authentication database  660  comprises a plurality of collections of data entries  662 . Each of the collections of data entries  662  comprises a plurality of data entries  662 . First, the client  104  fetches one of the collections of data entries  662  from the authentication database  660  and sets the fetched collection of data entries  662  to a collection of data entries  666  of the client  104 ; hence, the collections of data entries  666  of the client are identical to the collections of data entries  662  of the authentication database  660 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , in step  604 , the client  104  performs on the access point  108  a step of requesting connection. In step  608 , the access point  108  performs on the server  120 /authentication database  660  a step of asking an enigmatic puzzle. In step  612 , the server  120 /authentication database  660  performs on the access point  108  a step of sending an enigmatic puzzle. In step  616 , the access point  108  performs on the client  104  a step of asking an enigmatic puzzle. In step  620 , the client  104  performs on the access point  108  a step of giving an enigmatic answer. In step  624 , the access point  108  performs on the server  120 /authentication database  660  a step of requesting a server to judge an answer. In step  628 , the server  120 /authentication database  660  performs on the access point  108  a step of sending answer match and deleting an enigmatic answer from the server  120 /authentication database  660 . In step  632 , the access point  108  performs on the client  104  a step of giving pass notice and sending answer match. The aforesaid acquisition of collections of data entries and enigmatic puzzle/answer process flow are described in detail later. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a method whereby a client receives collections of data entries from an authentication database according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a method of network connection in a wireless local area network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The wireless local area network comprises the client  104 , the access point  108 , and the server  120 . The server  120  has an authentication database  660 . The authentication database  660  comprises a plurality of collections of data entries  662 . Each of the collections of data entries  662  comprises a plurality of data entries  662 . The server  120  is an authentication server. A network management server (not shown) is also coupled to the authentication server  120 . Each of the access points  108  in the system controls the ability of the client  104  to access the Internet according to a command from the network management server. The main purpose of the authentication server  120  is to confirm the identity of the client  104  and grant access authority to the client  104 . Furthermore, the authentication server  120  stores information related to the client  104  in a database. The aforesaid technology pertaining to the authentication server and the network management server is understood by persons skilled in the art and thus are not reiterated herein for the sake of brevity. 
         [0050]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of collections of data entries  662  is a plurality of books (or dictionaries, books, and a numeric string), whereas a plurality of data entries within collections of data entries  662  are words (words, characters, word blocks, sentences, sentence blocks, and numbers) in a composite book. 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , in a preferred embodiment, the client  104  fetches one of the collections of data entries  662  from the authentication database  660  (step  408 ), and then the client  104  sets the fetched collection of data entries  662  to the client&#39;s collection of data entries  666  (step  412 ). Hence, the client&#39;s collections of data entries  666  are identical to the collections of data entries  662  in the authentication database  660 . The client  104  can fetch the collections of data entries  662  from the authentication database  660  in whatever ways and at any time. For example, the authentication database  660  updates data of the client  104  automatically whenever the client  104  undertakes system installation or when data in a database of the client  104  is going to be used up. 
         [0052]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a communication process between the wireless client  104  and the access point  108 /server  120 , using enigmatic process requests and enigmatic process responses, in a wireless local area network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the network connection is effectuated by means of the system  100  in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6 , in step  416 , after confirming that the access point  108  has sent a beacon, the client  104  sends a probe request to the access point  108 . In step  420 , the client  104  receives a probe response from the access point  108 . In step  424 , the client  104  sends to the access point  108  a first message carrying an identification tag. In step  428 , after the client  104  has sent the first message, the access point  108  authenticates a MAC address of the client  104 . 
         [0054]    In step  432 , the access point  108  sends to the server  120 /authentication database  660  a puzzle request message carrying a puzzle request tag. In step  436 , the access point  108  receives a second message carrying a query tag, wherein the second message is provided by the server  120 /authentication database  660 . In a preferred embodiment, the query tag is associated with a puzzle, and the puzzle is associated with a first data entry of one of the collections of data entries. A first answer to the puzzle is stored in the authentication database  660  and includes the first data entry. The puzzle comprises an index or position of the first data entry in the collections of data entries. 
         [0055]    In step  440 , the access point  108  sends to the client  104  a third message carrying the query tag, and the query tag is associated with the puzzle. In step  444 , the client  104  sends to the access point  108  a fourth message carrying an answer tag, and the answer tag is associated with a second answer. In step  448 , the access point  108  sends to the server  120 /authentication database  660  a message carrying a compare tag to compare and determine whether the first answer and the second answer match so as to yield a comparison result. In step  452 , the server  120 /authentication database  660  determines whether the comparison result is a match. 
         [0056]    In step  456 , if the comparison result is a match, the server  120 /authentication database  660  will send the comparison result to the access point  108  and delete the first data entry from the server  120 /authentication database  660 ; afterward, the access point  108  sends the comparison result to the client  104  to inform the client  104  of a result of an enigmatic pass, thereby connecting the client  104  and the access point  108 . Upon completion of the aforesaid handshaking, the client  104  and the access point  108  start executing a connection procedure of IEEE 802.11. 
         [0057]    In step  460 , if the comparison result is not a match, the client and the access point will not be connected together. In a preferred embodiment, the Internet protocol address of a fake access point and a spy access point can be invalidated. For example, the client&#39;s MAC address is not found in an approval checklist, and a spy access point cannot judge the identification tag. 
         [0058]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart based on  FIG. 6  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing wireless clients  104 A,  1048 ,  104 C which have independent collections of data entries  666 ,  670 ,  674 , respectively, wherein the independent collections of data entries  666 ,  670 ,  674  are provided by the server  120  to perform an enigmatic process. The independent collections of data entries are created according to the MAC address, whereas the independent collections of data entries are arranged by a system installation worker of the client  104 . Alternatively, if the data in the database of the client  104  are going to be used up, the authentication database  660  will automatically update the data of the client  104  and maintain a specific size. The way of authenticating the MAC addresses of wireless clients by the access point is further described later. 
         [0059]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart of a state machine of a puzzle/answer mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 8 , each state is described below. State  1  ( 704 ): a client requests connection (assertion) and sends a connection request ( 708 ). State  2  ( 712 ): an access point makes a query (challenge) and sends the query ( 716 ), wherein, if time&gt;N (such as three cycles) and has not sent the query, then go to state  1  ( 717 ). State  3  ( 720 ): the client gives a response, wherein, if time&gt;N (such as three cycles) and has not sent the response, then go to state  1  ( 724 ), otherwise send a result and go to state  4  ( 733 ). State  4  ( 733 ): the access point gives pass notice, wherein, if the access point sends the result, then connection succeeds ( 740 ), wherein, if the access point does not send the result, then go to state  1  ( 736 ). 
         [0060]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of an example of the composition of an authentication frame complying with 802.11 protocol and an example of frame control fields in the authentication frame according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The authentication frame has a format specified in IEEE 802.11 and shown in  FIG. 8 , and comprises the following fields: Frame Control field, Duration field, Address  1 , Address  2 , Address  3 , Sequence Control, Address  4 , Frame Body, and CRC (cyclic redundancy check). Frame Control consists of the following fields: Protocol Version, Type, Subtype, To DS, From DS, More Flag, Retry, Power Management, More Data, WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), and Order. The aforesaid fields comply with proper values of IEEE 802.11 specifications. In this preferred embodiment, the Type field is configured to display binary numbers: 00 (Management), 01 (Control), 10 (Data), and 11 (these configuration values denote reserved fields under 802.11 protocol, and indicate an enigmatic puzzle type in this specific embodiment.) 
         [0061]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view of communication between a client and an access point applicable to an authentication frame under 802.11 protocol according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the diagram illustrates authentication of the contents of a frame body. Step  904  involves declaring using an enigmatic puzzle algorithm in response to an enigmatic puzzle that requests connection. Step  908  involves asking line N&#39;s word in response to asking an enigmatic puzzle. Step  912  involves answering line N&#39;s word in response to answering an enigmatic puzzle. Step  916  involves responding that the authentication succeeds or fails in response to notifying an enigmatic result. 
         [0062]      FIG. 11  is a schematic view of how an access point  108  authenticates the MAC address of each of the wireless clients  104  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 11 , under 802.11 protocol, Address  1  is filled with target MAC address, and Address  2  is filled with source MAC address. Hence, the access point  108  authenticates each of the wireless clients  104  by means of the mechanism of the aforesaid MAC addresses. 
         [0063]    In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, regarding enigmatic authentication communication between a client and an access point, data entries in their collections of data entries  662  are deleted immediately after being used, and thus never repeat, so as to efficiently prevent fake and spy network apparatuses from stealing a user&#39;s confidential data according to the prior art. Furthermore, each client has an authentication database conducive to enhancement of security, even though the authentication database is of small dimensions. The present invention complies with the existing 802.11 protocol and thus is easy to implement. According to the present invention, confidential data are accessible to authorized clients and access points only, thereby providing a safe WLAN environment. 
         [0064]    A point to note is that the present invention is not restrictive of the sequence of the steps illustrated with  FIG. 3  through  FIG. 6 . What are illustrated with  FIG. 3  through  FIG. 6  are just different examples. Although a fake access point and a spy access point are illustrated with the drawings of the present invention, persons skilled in the art should be able to understand that fake clients and spy clients can be applied in the control of network security in the same way. Related details are not reiterated herein for the sake of brevity, as they are described herein when referring to the drawings of the present invention. Furthermore, clients, access points, and servers in the preferred embodiments of the present invention comply with IEEE 802.11 but are not necessarily so. In practice, various protocols are applicable to the present invention efficiently. 
         [0065]    The foregoing preferred embodiments are provided to illustrate and disclose the technical features of the present invention, and are not intended to be restrictive of the scope of the present invention. Hence, all equivalent variations or modifications made to the foregoing embodiments without departing from the spirit embodied in the disclosure of the present invention should fall within the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7