Core Network Certificates With Purpose-Bound Key Usage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile communication systems face challenges in securely managing cryptographic keys for network functions within a service-based architecture, leading to potential misuse and policy violations due to the lack of clear purpose indications in digital certificates.
Innovation Solution
Implementing digital certificates conforming to ITU-T X.509 standards with enhanced fields to indicate specific purposes, such as establishing secure connections and verifying tokens, and using these certificates to manage cryptographic keys between network functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If digital certificates without purpose indications are used for cryptographic key management, then ease of operation is improved, but security and compliance are worsened due to potential misuse and policy violations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by embedding purpose-specific information directly within the digital certificate structure. The certificate contains dedicated fields (such as extended key usage extensions) that locally indicate the authorized purposes for each cryptographic key, allowing receiving entities to verify purpose compliance without complex external policy checks, thus maintaining ease of operation while improving security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by requiring receiving entities to check the purpose indication fields in digital certificates before proceeding with cryptographic operations. This creates a feedback loop where the system automatically verifies whether the key usage aligns with authorized purposes, preventing misuse and ensuring compliance without manual intervention
2Reliability
If digital certificates with detailed purpose indications are implemented, then security and compliance are improved, but device complexity increases due to additional certificate fields and verification logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a standardized purpose indication mechanism that can serve multiple functions across different cryptographic operations and network protocols. The extended key usage fields and purpose indication structures are designed to be universally applicable across various certificate types and verification scenarios, reducing the need for protocol-specific implementations and thereby limiting complexity growth
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by modifying existing digital certificate parameters (such as adding extended key usage extensions and purpose indication fields) rather than creating entirely new certificate structures. This approach leverages existing cryptographic infrastructure and standardization frameworks, allowing security enhancement through parameter augmentation while minimizing increases in device complexity
3Reliability
If purpose indication fields are added to digital certificates, then policy violation prevention is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to stricter certificate generation and validation standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating purpose indication fields and validation logic into the certificate generation process itself. Certificate authorities and issuing entities pre-validate the intended purposes during certificate creation, ensuring that purpose indications are correctly set before the certificate is issued. This preliminary validation prevents policy violations before they can occur, reducing the burden on downstream verification systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses intermediaries by introducing standardized purpose indication structures that act as mediators between certificate generation systems and verification systems. These standardized fields serve as an intermediary layer that translates complex policy requirements into verifiable certificate attributes, allowing precise control over key usage without requiring each system to implement complex validation logic
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided method, comprising: receiving, at a first entity implementing at least a first network function of a core network for a mobile communication system, a digital certificate certifying a cryptographic key for the first entity; wherein the digital certificate indicates one or more purposes for which the digital certificate certifies the cryptographic key; and sending the digital certificate from the first entity to a second entity implementing at least a second network function of the core network for the mobile communication system.