Trusted Application Authentication for Mobile GAA Credentials

The patent segments the authentication process by introducing a trusted application in the mobile terminal that acts as an intermediary. This trusted application authenticates client applications locally using stored credentials, eliminating the need for the service provider to perform repeated authentication operations for each application access. The segmentation divides the authentication function between the mobile terminal (trusted application) and the service provider, reducing the computational burden and costs for the service provider while maintaining security.

The patent extracts the authentication and access control functionality from the service provider's infrastructure and places it within the mobile terminal's trusted application. By taking out the security association management from the service provider domain and embedding it in the client domain (mobile terminal), the system eliminates the need for the service provider to maintain complex long-term security associations with each application copy. The trusted application stores credentials locally and performs authentication autonomously, significantly reducing maintenance complexity for the service provider.

The patent implements self-service by enabling the trusted application within the mobile terminal to autonomously manage application-specific access to NAF credentials. The trusted application maintains a local registry of authorized applications and their associated credentials, allowing it to independently authenticate client applications without external intervention. This self-service mechanism simplifies configuration by eliminating the need for complex external configuration management systems, as the trusted application autonomously enforces access restrictions based on locally stored security policies.