Wireless Security Mode Rollback for OOS Parameter Sync
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, out-of-service situations can lead to incongruity between security parameters in user equipment (UE) and network, causing communication disruptions due to the inability to receive or transmit security mode command messages, resulting in a rollback to old security parameters, which can prevent normal communication.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for controlling the security mode by performing a camp-on process, cell update, and integrity check using old security configurations, and rolling back to old security configurations if integrity checks succeed, ensuring that security configurations in UE match those in the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network transmits a security mode command (SMC) message to update security parameters, then security parameters are updated to new values, but if the UE is in an out-of-service situation and cannot receive the message, the network rolls back to old security parameters while the UE continues using new parameters, causing communication failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the UE monitors whether it has successfully received and processed SMC messages by checking if it can properly respond to network messages using the new security parameters. When the UE detects that integrity checks fail or that it cannot communicate properly with the network using new parameters, it sends feedback to the network indicating that a rollback should be performed, ensuring both sides synchronize their security parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the UE proactively detect potential security parameter mismatches before they cause communication failures. The UE continuously monitors the consistency between its security parameters and network messages, and when inconsistency is detected, it triggers a rollback process in advance to prevent communication breakdown.
2Reliability
If the UE updates security parameters to new values after receiving an SMC message, then security is enhanced with new parameters, but if the network later rolls back to old parameters due to OOS situation, the UE and network use different parameters making normal communication impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The UE provides feedback to the network about its security parameter status by monitoring whether integrity checks on received messages succeed. When the UE detects that it is using new security parameters but the network is using old parameters (indicated by failed integrity checks), it sends feedback triggering the network to roll back to matching parameters, ensuring communication can proceed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the security parameter configuration dynamic rather than static. The UE and network can transition between old and new security parameters based on real-time conditions such as OOS situations and integrity check results, allowing the system to adapt security configurations to current operational states while maintaining consistency between communication parties.
3Reliability
If the network performs a rollback process to discard new security parameters and reuse old parameters, then security parameter consistency is restored, but communication disruptions occur during the transition period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the UE detect security parameter mismatches before they cause communication failures. The continuous monitoring of integrity check results allows the UE to identify when the network has rolled back to old parameters while the UE still uses new parameters, triggering a coordinated rollback before communication breakdown occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism enables rapid detection and response to security parameter inconsistencies. When the UE detects that integrity checks are failing, it immediately triggers a rollback process, minimizing the time during which communication is disrupted by parameter mismatch.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method for controlling a security mode by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, including performing a camp-on process and a cell update process with a network when an out-of-service (OOS) situation has occurred, receiving one of a signaling connection release (SCR) message and a first protocol data unit (PDU) which corresponds to the SCR message from the network, receiving a security mode command (SMC) message from the network if the SCR message is received, performing an integrity process on the SCR message using an old security configuration, and performing a rollback process to discard a new security configuration included in the SMC message if a result of the integrity process result an integrity check success, and updating a security configuration to the old security configuration.