eUICC Authentication Delegation via Profile Applets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eUICCs are limited by GSMA certification requirements, preventing the deployment of new network-specific authentication applications and algorithms without costly and lengthy upgrades, and cannot efficiently support multiple proprietary use cases or cryptographic advancements.
Innovation Solution
Delegation of authentication algorithm implementation from the eUICC OS to a profile-specific applet, allowing flexible deployment of proprietary solutions without requiring OS recertification, and enabling support for multiple profiles and cryptographic agility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If authentication algorithms are implemented in the eUICC OS Telecom Framework, then the authentication process is standardized and reliable, but any new authentication application requires costly and lengthy GSMA recertification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication system into two independent parts: the eUICC OS Telecom Framework (which remains certified) and profile-specific authentication applets (which can be updated independently). This allows new authentication applications to be deployed in applets without requiring recertification of the entire eUICC OS.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the profile package interpretation layer - that bridges the standardized eUICC OS and proprietary authentication applets. This intermediary enables the OS to delegate authentication commands to appropriate applets while maintaining standard compliance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the eUICC OS is upgraded to add new authentication algorithms, then the device can support new cryptographic standards, but the upgrade process is complex and requires MNO profile updates
Solution Approach 1:
By separating cryptographic algorithms into independent applets within profiles, the system allows cryptographic advancements to be deployed without OS upgrades. Each profile can contain applets with updated algorithms, independent of the base OS version.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic system where authentication capabilities can be flexibly updated by downloading new profile packages containing updated applets, rather than requiring static OS upgrades. This enables adaptive deployment of new cryptographic standards.
3Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary authentication applications are implemented in the eUICC OS, then network-specific authentication can be provided, but the eUICC cannot support multiple different proprietary use cases simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments different proprietary authentication applications into separate profile-specific applets, allowing multiple use cases (IoT resilience, military tactical, quantum-safe) to coexist in the same eUICC without interfering with each other. Each applet is self-contained and can be independently configured.
Solution Approach 2:
The eUICC architecture becomes universal by supporting multiple authentication paradigms through the profile applet mechanism. The same eUICC hardware can serve diverse applications (consumer, IoT, military) by loading appropriate profile packages with relevant authentication applets.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns an elllCC (20) installed in a telecommunication device, able to delegate the processing of an authenticate command from the telecommunication device to an authentication applet (18a) in an enabled profile (18), the enabled profile (18) comprising means to indicate to the eUICC (20) that the processing of the authenticate command has to be performed by the authentication applet (18a).