Method for providing smart card (SIM) security by checking a temporary subscriber identifier (TMSI)

Abstract

An apparatus for providing smart card security may include a processor. The processor may be configured to determine, for a mobile terminal locked to a smart card, whether a temporary subscriber identifier is being read from the smart card or whether the mobile terminal is receiving a new temporary subscriber identifier from a network in communication with the mobile terminal, compare a network identifier associated with the temporary subscriber identifier to a network identifier included in a permanent subscriber identifier associated with the smart card in response to a determination that the temporary subscriber identifier is being read from the smart card, compare a network identifier associated with the new temporary subscriber identifier to a network identifier associated with a previous temporary subscriber identifier in response to a determination that the new temporary subscriber identifier is received from the network, and determine whether to invalidate the temporary subscriber identifier or the new temporary subscriber identifier based on a result of a respective one of the comparing operations.

Description

technical field [0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to network communication technologies, and more particularly, to a method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing smart card (SIM) security against "man-in-the-middle" attacks. Background technique [0002] Mobile terminals are becoming more ubiquitous in modern society as the number of users of all ages and levels of sophistication own or have access to mobile communication and / or processing devices. In an effort to sell products to such users in a highly competitive marketplace, service providers or network operators have adopted the strategy of offering low cost or even free calls to users. In an effort to ensure that such users are thereafter subscribed to a network operator due to the service offering of low-cost or toll-free calls, these phones have usually been locked to the corresponding network operator. These phones are sometimes called "subsidized" phones. [0003] Histor...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, if the provided IMSI does not belong to the network operator to which the phone is locked, then the phone cannot get network service

[0005] A possible problem with the above SIM lock mechanism is that it may be relatively easy to insert a device between the SIM card and the mobile end device that changes the communication between them

However in this case the IMSI obtained from the X-SIM cannot be used to connect to the network as it represents a subscription belonging to the network operator to which the mobile terminal is locked and does not reflect the subscription of the SIM card being used

[0006] To reduce the likelihood that a user may be identified and / or tracked by a third party, some mobile terminals limit the number of times an IMSI is sent

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