Secure Roaming Configuration Data Transfer via HPLMN Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication networks face challenges in securely transmitting configuration data to user equipment roaming in visited networks, as the visited network may alter or access this data, compromising user preferences and security.
Innovation Solution
The home public land mobile network (HPLMN) encrypts and authenticates configuration data using shared keys with the user equipment, ensuring secure transmission through the visited network, and the user equipment verifies the integrity of the data upon receipt to ensure it has not been altered.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If configuration data is transmitted via control plane message through visited network, then configuration data can be delivered to user equipment, but visited network may review and alter the configuration data compromising security
Solution Approach 1:
The home network applies cryptographic protection (encryption and/or authentication) to the configuration data before transmission through the visited network. This preliminary protective action prevents the visited network from successfully altering or compromising the data, as any modification would be detected or prevented by the cryptographic mechanisms already in place.
Solution Approach 2:
Cryptographic mechanisms serve as an intermediary layer between the configuration data and the visited network. The data is wrapped in cryptographic protection that the visited network cannot penetrate or modify, allowing the data to pass through the intermediate visited network environment safely while maintaining integrity and confidentiality.
2Ease of operation
If user equipment retrieves configuration data via user plane connection, then configuration data can be retrieved, but user equipment needs pre-configuration and policy server establishment
Solution Approach 1:
The user equipment is pre-configured with security parameters and credentials needed to verify the cryptographic protection on received configuration data. This preliminary configuration enables the device to autonomously validate data integrity without requiring complex additional infrastructure like policy servers, simplifying the overall system while maintaining security.
Data Source
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AI summary
Protected configuration data may be sent to user equipment subscribed to a first wireless communication network by a second wireless communication network with which the user equipment is registered. The first wireless communication network may protect the configuration data based on at least one first key when sending the data to the second wireless communication network. The second wireless communication network may send the configuration data to user equipment in messages protected by at least one second key. User equipment receives the message from the second wireless communication network, extracts the configuration data using the at least one second key, determines whether the configuration data has been altered at least in part based on the at least one first key, and applies the configuration data if the configuration data has not been altered. The protected configuration data may be sent in an information element of a control plane message.