Network Device Provisioning via Unique Parameter Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for remotely provisioning customer premises equipment (CPE) face security and cost challenges, particularly due to the use of shared decryption keys that can lead to man-in-the-middle attacks and increased costs associated with unique decryption keys for each device.
Innovation Solution
The system employs unique device parameters, such as MAC addresses, within encrypted configuration profiles to ensure that only the intended network device can load the configuration, allowing a common decryption key to be used across multiple devices without compromising security, thereby preventing unauthorized access and reducing provisioning costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a common decryption key is used for multiple end user devices, then provisioning costs are reduced, but security is compromised allowing man-in-the-middle attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration file is segmented into multiple encrypted portions, each encrypted with a different key. The first portion is encrypted with a first key, the second portion with a second key, and so on. This segmentation allows the system to use multiple encryption keys without requiring each device to have all keys pre-loaded, reducing provisioning costs while maintaining security through the binding of configuration data to specific device identifiers.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the configuration file have different encryption properties tailored to their specific security requirements. The configuration data is encrypted with device-specific keys, creating local quality variations in encryption strength and key management. This allows each device to have its own security context while sharing a common provisioning infrastructure.
2Reliability
If a unique decryption key is used for each end user device, then security is improved preventing unauthorized access, but provisioning costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration file is divided into segments that can be encrypted with different keys. This segmentation allows the system to implement device-specific encryption for security-critical portions while using more efficient encryption for other portions, balancing security requirements with provisioning cost constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The encryption parameters are changed based on device-specific identifiers. Configuration files are encrypted using keys derived from or associated with unique device parameters, allowing each device to have its own security context without requiring manual key distribution, thereby maintaining security while reducing provisioning complexity.
3Reliability
If configuration files are encrypted to prevent unauthorized access, then security is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encrypted configuration file is divided into multiple portions that can be processed independently. The receiving device can decrypt and process each portion using the appropriate key, reducing the computational complexity compared to decrypting a single large encrypted file with multiple keys simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration file is pre-divided into encrypted portions before transmission. This preliminary segmentation and encryption allows the receiving device to efficiently process only the necessary portions based on its specific needs, reducing processing complexity and enabling selective decryption of configuration data.
Data Source
AI summary
In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a provisioning subsystem communicatively coupled to a network device by a communication network. The provisioning subsystem is configured to incorporate, in a configuration profile, a unique parameter associated with the network device. The configuration profile includes one or more parameters for provisioning the network device to access at least one service provided over the communication network. The provisioning subsystem is further configured to encrypt the configuration profile having the unique parameter and to provide the encrypted configuration profile to the network device. In certain embodiments, the network device is configured to decrypt the encrypted configuration profile and verify that the configuration profile is intended for the network device.