Rogue Base Station Detection via Public Key Validity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Detecting rogue base stations that imitate real base stations in wireless communication networks is difficult, posing security threats and potential Denial of Service (DoS) attacks on mobile terminals.
Innovation Solution
A method where remote units and network units exchange rogue unit detection information, including public keys and validity times, allowing remote units to request and receive new detection information when keys expire, and network units determine and transmit new keys to prevent rogue unit detection, ensuring authenticity verification of network entities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cryptographic authentication is implemented to verify base station authenticity, then security against rogue base stations is improved, but device complexity and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network unit performs preliminary cryptographic setup by generating key pairs and distributing public keys to mobile terminals before any communication occurs. This preliminary action allows the mobile terminal to verify base station authenticity using pre-configured verification information without performing complex real-time cryptographic operations, thus improving reliability while managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces verification information (public keys, certificates, or hashed values) as an intermediary element that mediates between the base station and mobile terminal. This intermediary contains cryptographic proof of authenticity that the mobile terminal can verify without directly performing complex authentication protocols, resolving the contradiction between security and device complexity.
2Reliability
If cryptographic key pairs are distributed to all network units for authentication, then security is improved, but information management complexity and key distribution overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential verification information (public keys, certificates, or hashed values) from the complete cryptographic key pair and distributes this extracted information to mobile terminals. This taking out approach allows authentication to proceed with minimal information management complexity while maintaining security, as the full key pairs remain securely managed by the network unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The verification information can be periodically updated or replaced without requiring long-term management of complex key structures. The network unit can issue new verification information as needed, and mobile terminals can discard old verification information, simplifying information management while maintaining continuous authentication capability.
3Speed
If mobile terminals store and manage verification information locally, then authentication speed is improved, but loss of information occurs when verification information expires or is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal monitors the validity status of stored verification information and provides feedback to the network unit when verification information needs updating. The network unit responds by providing updated verification information, creating a feedback loop that prevents information loss while maintaining fast local authentication. This ensures verification information is renewed before expiration.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile terminal performs preliminary checks to determine whether stored verification information is still valid before using it for authentication. This preliminary action prevents authentication failures due to expired information and allows the terminal to request updates only when necessary, maintaining both speed and information integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for transmitting and/or receiving rogue unit detection information. One method (800) includes maintaining (802) rogue unit detection information. The rogue unit detection information includes a public key and a validity time corresponding to the public key. The method (800) includes determining (804) whether the validity time for the public key is within an expiration window. The method (800) includes, in response to determining that the validity time for the public key is within the expiration window, transmitting (806) a request for new rogue unit detection information. In some embodiments, the method (800) includes receiving (808) the new rogue unit detection information. The rogue unit detection information can be used by user equipment to detect rogue base stations when camping on them in idle mode.