Bootstrap Authentication Framework for SIM Credential Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional subscriber profile insertion techniques for authenticating electronic devices in telecommunication networks are resource-intensive, incompatible with encrypted connections, and do not function with Wi-Fi connections, posing limitations in securely accessing sensitive data and services.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a bootstrap authentication framework on electronic devices that uses authentication credentials stored in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to authenticate applications with application servers, enabling secure access even over encrypted connections and Wi-Fi, through a protocol handler extension with APIs and access control based on digital signatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If subscriber profile insertion techniques are used to insert authentication credentials into data traffic, then authentication credentials can be provided to application servers, but additional resource burdens are placed on the telecommunication network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication credential insertion function from the telecommunication network's data gateway and relocates it to the electronic device itself. The electronic device now autonomously inserts authentication credentials (such as IMSI or MSISDN) into outgoing data packets before transmission, eliminating the need for network-side profile insertion and reducing network resource consumption.
2Reliability
If subscriber profile insertion is used to authenticate electronic devices, then application servers can rely on inserted credentials, but application servers are forced to rely on credentials inserted by another entity in the data path
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device performs self-service by autonomously inserting its own authentication credentials into outgoing data packets without requiring external assistance from network gateways or other intermediaries. The device reads credentials from its own subscriber identity module and inserts them into packets, enabling application servers to directly trust credentials from their intended source rather than from an intermediary entity.
3Reliability
If traditional subscriber profile insertion techniques are used, then authentication can be performed over telecommunication networks, but these techniques cannot be used with encrypted data connections between electronic devices and application servers
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device performs preliminary action by inserting authentication credentials into data packets before encryption occurs in the secure communication stack. The credential insertion happens at the application layer or transport layer, prior to TLS/SSL encryption, allowing unencrypted credential data to be properly inserted while the rest of the communication remains encrypted. This preliminary insertion enables both encryption and authentication to coexist.
4Reliability
If subscriber profile insertion techniques are implemented in data gateways, then authentication credentials can be inserted into traffic, but these techniques are not compatible with Wi-Fi connections to connect electronic devices to application servers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication credential insertion function from the network-side data gateway and relocates it to the electronic device. This extraction makes the system independent of network architecture and connection type, as the device performs insertion locally before traffic leaves the device regardless of whether the connection is Wi-Fi, cellular, or other wireless technology.
Data Source
AI summary
A bootstrap authentication framework may automatically provide stored authentication credentials to an application server on behalf of an application. The bootstrap authentication framework may receive an access request from a protocol handler to access the authentication credentials stored in a subscriber identity module (SIM) of the electronic device. The access request may be initiated by an application that uses the authentication credentials to access a network service on an application server. In turn, the bootstrap authentication framework may provide the authentication credentials to the protocol handler when a digital signature associated with the protocol handler indicates that the protocol handler is allowed to access the authentication credentials.