UE Security Key Validation for Network Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cellular network authentication process fails when the network authentication system stores an incorrect security key for a user equipment (UE), leading to failed authentication attempts, and there is a risk of illegitimate entities obtaining the correct security key for unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
A validation process where the UE receives a test security key from a provider, computes a test result, and transmits it to the network authentication system, which compares it with its own computation using the stored security key, ensuring only legitimate providers receive the correct security key for updating the network profile record.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network authentication system stores a security key in the network profile record, then authentication can be performed, but the stored key may be incorrect leading to authentication failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a validation process before final authentication. The network authentication system first receives a test security key from the UE, computes a test result, and validates it against the stored security key before actually using the stored key for authentication. This preliminary validation ensures the stored key is correct before committing to authentication, preventing failures due to incorrect stored keys.
2Loss of information
If the UE outputs the security key to a provider, then the network profile record can be updated with the correct key, but illegitimate entities may obtain the key for unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the UE transmit a computed authentication result back to the network authentication system after receiving a test security key. The network authentication system validates this feedback by comparing it with its own computation using the stored security key. Only after successful validation does the system allow the security key to be output to the provider, ensuring legitimate entities only receive the key.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the network authentication system as an intermediary between the UE and the provider. The intermediary validates the provider's legitimacy by checking the authentication result before allowing the security key to be transmitted. This intermediary layer prevents illegitimate entities from directly obtaining the security key while still allowing legitimate updates to the network profile record.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a validation process is implemented to verify provider legitimacy, then unauthorized access is prevented, but the authentication process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by having the UE perform the validation computations itself. The UE receives a test security key, computes an authentication result using its own processing capabilities, and transmits the result for validation. This self-service approach distributes the computational burden to the UE rather than requiring complex validation infrastructure at the network authentication system, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining security.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples disclosed herein include methods, systems, and devices to help a UE to securely output a copy of a security key stored on the UE. According to examples, a UE receives a test security key from a provider. Based on the received test security key, the UE computes a test result, and then the UE transmits the computed test result to a network authentication system. The UE receives from the network authentication system a response indicating a match between the computed test result and a test result computed by the network authentication system. Based on the received response indicating the match, the UE outputs a copy of the security key stored in the UE to the provider.