Abstract: A system is disclosed for protecting a network against malicious attacks or attempts for unauthorized access. A network is connected to an external network by a number of firewalls. Inspectors detect packets blocked by the firewalls and some or all of the packets are detected to a labyrinth configured to emulated an operational network and response to the packets in order to engage an attacker. Blocked packets may be detected by comparing packets entering and exiting a firewall. Packets for which a corresponding packets are not received within a transit delay may be identified as blocked. Entering and exiting packets may be compared by comparing only header information. A central module may receive information from the inspectors and generate statistical information and generate instructions for the inspectors, such as blacklists of addresses known to be used by attackers.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for protecting a network against malicious attacks or attempts for unauthorized access. A network is connected to an external network by a number of firewalls. Inspectors detect packets blocked by the firewalls and some or all of the packets are detected to a labyrinth configured to emulated an operational network and response to the packets in order to engage an attacker. Blocked packets may be detected by comparing packets entering and exiting a firewall. Packets for which a corresponding packets are not received within a transit delay may be identified as blocked. Entering and exiting packets may be compared by comparing only header information. A central module may receive information from the inspectors and generate statistical information and generate instructions for the inspectors, such as blacklists of addresses known to be used by attackers.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for facilitating communications between a network node and a Head End of an access network. The access network includes a plurality of nodes which communicate with the Head End via at least one upstream channel and at least one downstream channel. The Head End is configured to monitor channel conditions on selected channels of the access network. The Head End is also configured to modify or change the modulation profile used on a selected channel in response to detecting a change in conditions on that particular channel. If the Head End detects that the channel conditions have deteriorated, the Head End may change the modulation profile on the selected channel to one which is better suited for transmitting data on the channel given the current channel conditions. If the Head End detects that the channel conditions have improved, the Head End may change the modulation profile on the selected channel to one which provides for faster data transmission on the selected channel.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for determining a carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) value for a selected channel of an access network. A background noise level on the selected channel is measured during a first time interval during which none of the network nodes are transmitting signals on the selected channel. A first signal strength on the selected channel is also measured during a second time interval during which a first network node is transmitting at least one signal on the selected channel. A CNR value for the selected channel may then be calculated using the measured background noise level information and the measured first signal strength information. According to a specific implementation, the calculation of the CNR value for the selected channel is not based upon an Error Vector Magnitude value associated with the signal transmitted from the first network node.