Secondary Cell Security Key Updates for Selective Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The application of selective activation in 5G networks poses security challenges in changing security information for secondary cells, making it difficult to ensure safe and reliable transitions.
Innovation Solution
A radio base station and terminal that generate and transmit security information for secondary cell addition/change procedures, enabling secure transitions by managing security keys through methods like incrementing a secondary key counter and calculating new security keys.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If selective activation is applied to maintain CPAC configuration without releasing it each time CPAC is performed, then cell transition flexibility and mobility are improved, but security information management becomes problematic and difficult to ensure safe transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating and transmitting security information (security keys) in advance before the actual cell transition occurs. The master node generates new security keys for candidate secondary nodes and transmits them beforehand, so that when selective activation occurs, the security information is already prepared and can be immediately applied, ensuring secure transitions without compromising safety while maintaining flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The master node acts as an intermediary between the terminal and candidate secondary nodes for security information management. It generates security keys, transmits them to candidate secondary nodes, and manages the security information lifecycle, thereby decoupling the security management complexity from the flexible cell transition mechanism and enabling both selective activation and secure transitions
2Reliability
If security information is changed for each secondary cell transition, then security reliability is improved, but the complexity of managing security keys increases and safe changes become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The master node performs multiple security-related functions universally: it generates security keys for all candidate secondary nodes, transmits them to both secondary nodes and terminals, manages key lifecycle, and coordinates security updates. This centralized universal security management approach simplifies the overall system complexity while ensuring reliable security changes for each cell transition
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the master node receives information about cell transition status and security configuration from secondary nodes and terminals, then adjusts and updates security information accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that security information is properly synchronized and updated without manual intervention, reducing management complexity while maintaining security reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A radio base station is provided that can change the security information of a secondary cell safely and surely, even when selective activation is applied. The radio base station includes a control unit that generates security information to be used in an addition/change procedure of a secondary cell, and a transmission unit that transmits the security information to another radio base station or a terminal, in which the transmission unit transmits the generated security information after executing the addition/change procedure.