Secure Ranging Sequence Generation for 5G UE Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G networks, face challenges in secure ranging sequences for determining device positions efficiently, especially in large-scale deployments where overhead signaling is high and vulnerable to attackers, and existing methods do not effectively scale for numerous devices.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves generating secure ranging sequences using encryption input information shared among user equipment (UEs) through a common data source, allowing UEs to derive secure encryption keys for producing ciphertext used in ranging signals, thereby reducing overhead and enhancing security against attackers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional ranging sequences are used in 5G networks, then positioning functionality is provided, but overhead signaling is high and the system is vulnerable to attackers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary encryption key generation and distribution before the ranging process. A secret seed is pre-shared among UEs through a common data source, and encryption keys are derived in advance using this seed. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex real-time key distribution during ranging, reducing overhead signaling while maintaining security against attackers.
Solution Approach 2:
A common data source acts as an intermediary to distribute the secret seed to multiple UEs. This intermediary mechanism enables secure key generation without requiring direct peer-to-peer secret sharing between UEs, simplifying the signaling overhead while ensuring that all participating UEs can derive the same encryption keys independently.
2Reliability
If secure encryption keys are generated for each UE pair, then security is enhanced, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single secret seed distributed through the common data source serves multiple UEs simultaneously. Instead of generating unique encryption keys for each UE pair, the same seed is used by all participating UEs to derive their respective encryption keys. This universal approach maintains security while dramatically reducing the quantity of signaling required, as the seed is distributed once rather than multiple unique key pairs.
3Productivity
If encryption input information is shared among UEs, then scalable cooperative communication is enabled, but vulnerability to attackers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of key distribution from individual UE-specific keys to a shared secret seed. This parameter change enables scalable cooperative communication as UEs can independently derive encryption keys using the common seed without requiring complex inter-UE coordination. Security against attackers is maintained through the use of cryptographic derivation functions that transform the shared seed into unique encryption keys for each UE.
Data Source
AI summary
A ranging method includes: receiving, at a first UE from a first entity, encryption input information; communicating, by the first UE with a second entity that is a second UE, to establish a ranging session with the second UE; using the encryption input information to produce an en-crypted ranging signal; and using the encrypted ranging signal in the ranging session for ranging between the first UE and the second UE.