Patent ID: 7054942

Claim:
Method for protecting data communication traffic between a first communication station ( 11 ) and a second communication station ( 12 ), in which the data is dispatched according to a data protocol from the second communication station to the first communication station, comprising the steps of: (i) receiving the data from the second communication station ( 12 ) in a data communication protection device ( 10 ), the protection device having i) a first input for connection to an incoming communication line receiving the data communication from the second communication station, ii) a second input for connection to the first communication station, iii) a comparison and forwarding module connected intermediate the first input and the second input and establishing a physical communication link between the first input and the second input, and iv) a memory connected to the comparison and forwarding module, the memory unit storing characteristics of a standardized communications protocol of first communication device, the comparison and forwarding module configured to compare the standardized communications protocol to a data protocol of incoming data from the first input, and i) to forward the incoming data to the second input when the comparison determines the data protocol conforms with the standardized communications protocol and ii) to physically open the communication link when the comparison determines the data protocol fails to conform with the standardized communication protocol; (ii) comparing the data protocol of the data with the standardized communication protocol in the data communication protection device ( 10 ), characterized by (iii) forwarding data of which the data protocol complies with the standardized communication protocol from the data communication protection device ( 10 ) to the first communication station ( 11 ), and not forwarding data of which the data protocol does not comply with the standardized communication protocol from the data communication protection device to the first communication station by physically opening the communication link within the protection device to prevent communications between the first communication station ( 11 ) and the second communication station ( 12 ).