Active Call Verification to Prevent Falsified Caller Information

Abstract

In one embodiment, a network interface operable to receive a communication request over a communication link of a radio access network. A processor determines one or more characteristics based on the communication request and communicates a message to a networked device to determine a status of the network device identified based on at least one of the characteristics. The processor then terminates the communication request based in part on the status of the networked device.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a network interface operable to receive a communication request over a communication link of a radio access network; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface and operable to:   determine one or more characteristics based on the communication request;   communicate a message to a networked device to determine a status of the networked device, wherein the networked device is identified as a requesting device of the received communication request based on at least one of the characteristics;   apply policy rules to one or more of the characteristics; and   terminate the communication request based in part on the status of the networked device not being a busy state and the applied policy rules.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further operable to receive a response to the message from the networked device. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further operable to complete the communication request based in part on the status of the network device being a busy state. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the status of the networked device in a busy state comprises receiving an indication that the networked device is currently in a call. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the network interface is further operable to implement certificate management procedures for cryptographic authentication. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the certificate management procedures comply with Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs (“SHAKEN”) standards. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein applying the policy rules comprises at least one of:
 determine if a location of the characteristics corresponds to the communication link of the received communication request; and   determine if a carrier of the characteristics corresponds to a carrier associated with the requesting device.   
     
     
         28 . Non-transitory computer readable medium comprising logic, the logic, when executed by a processor, operable to:
 receive a communication request over a communication link of a radio access network;   determine one or more characteristics based on the communication request;   communicate a message to a networked device to determine a status of the networked device, wherein the networked device is identified as a requesting device of the received communication request based on at least one of the characteristics;   apply policy rules to one or more of the characteristics; and   terminate the communication request based in part on the status of the networked device not being a busy state and the applied policy rules.   
     
     
         29 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to receive a response to the message from the networked device. 
     
     
         30 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to complete the communication request based in part on the status of the network device being a busy state. 
     
     
         31 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the status of the networked device in a busy state comprises receiving an indication that the networked device is currently in a call. 
     
     
         32 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to implement certificate management procedures for cryptographic authentication. 
     
     
         33 . The computer readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein the certificate management procedures comply with Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs (“SHAKEN”) standards. 
     
     
         34 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein applying the policy rules comprises at least one of:
 determine if a location of the characteristics corresponds to the communication link of the received communication request; and   determine if a carrier of the characteristics corresponds to a carrier associated with the requesting device.   
     
     
         35 . A method of reducing malicious calls, comprising:
 receiving a communication request over a communication link of a radio access network;   determining one or more characteristics based on the communication request;   communicating a message to a networked device, the networked device identified as a requesting device of the received communication request based on at least one of the characteristics;   determining, based on the communicated message, a status of the networked device;   applying policy rules to one or more of the characteristics; and   terminating the communication request based in part on the status of the networked device not being a busy state and the applied policy rules.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising receiving a response to the message from the networked device. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising completing the communication request based in part on the status of the network device being a busy state. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the status of the networked device in a busy state comprises receiving an indication that the networked device is currently in a call. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the method is compliant with Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs (“SHAKEN”) standards. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein applying the policy rules comprises at least one of:
 determining if a location of the characteristics corresponds to the communication link of the received communication request; and   determining if a carrier of the characteristics corresponds to a carrier associated with the requesting device.