Caching a pairwise master key for dropped wireless local area network (WLAN) connections to prevent re-authentication

• US 10,111,095 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Pritesh, Xu, Youjian, Ten Eyck, David H., Gamboa, Aldrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Champakesan, Badri
• Application Number:
  US15/068,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20170265070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 726 4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

A device may determine that a first wireless local area network (WLAN) connection, established with a first WLAN access point using an extensible authentication protocol, has been dropped. The device may store a pairwise master key identifier, associated with the first WLAN access point, based on determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped. The device may detect a WLAN signal, associated with the first WLAN access point or a second WLAN access point, after determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped. The device may provide the pairwise master key identifier to the first WLAN access point or the second WLAN access point based on detecting the WLAN signal. The device may establish a second WLAN connection with the first WLAN access point or the second WLAN access point based on providing the pairwise master key identifier and without re-authenticating using the extensible authentication protocol.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

one or more processors to execute the instructions to;

determine that a first wireless local area network (WLAN) connection, established with a first WLAN access point using an extensible authentication protocol, has been dropped;

store, at the device, a pairwise master key identifier based on determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped,

the pairwise master key identifier being associated with the first WLAN access point and a WLAN controller,

the pairwise master key identifier identifying a pairwise master key stored at the WLAN controller, and

the device being different from the first WLAN access point and the WLAN controller;

detect a WLAN signal, associated with a second WLAN access point, after determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped,

the first WLAN access point and the second WLAN access point being controlled by the WLAN controller, and

the first WLAN access point being different from the second WLAN access point;

provide the pairwise master key identifier to the second WLAN access point based on detecting the WLAN signal;

establish a second WLAN connection with the second WLAN access point based on providing the pairwise master key identifier and without re-authenticating using the extensible authentication protocol;

determine that a threshold amount of time has elapsed since storing the pairwise master key identifier; and

delete the pairwise master key identifier from the device based on determining that the threshold amount of time has elapsed.

2. The device of claim 1, where the WLAN signal is a first WLAN signal;

and

where the one or more processors are further to;

detect a second WLAN signal associated with the first WLAN access point;

provide, based on detecting the second WLAN signal, the pairwise master key identifier to the first WLAN access point; and

establish, based on providing the pairwise master key identifier to the first WLAN access point, a third WLAN connection with the first WLAN access point.

3. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors are further to:

prevent storage, by the device, of an additional pairwise master key identifier while the pairwise master key identifier is stored by the device.

4. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when providing the pairwise master key identifier, are to:

provide the pairwise master key identifier in an 802.11 Association Request message.

15. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors are further to:

determine that the threshold amount of time has not elapsed for storing the pairwise master key identifier; and

where the one or more processors, when providing the pairwise master key identifier, are to;

provide the pairwise master key identifier based on determining that the threshold amount of time has not elapsed.

16. The device of claim 1, where a copy of the pairwise master key identifier is stored in the first WLAN access point.

19. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped, are to:

determine that a WLAN signal, associated with the first WLAN connection, is not being detected.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to;

determine that a first wireless local area network (WLAN) connection, established with a first WLAN access point using an 802.11X extensible authentication protocol, has been dropped;

store, at the device, a pairwise master key identifier, based on determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped,

the pairwise master key identifier being associated with the first WLAN access point and a WLAN controller,

the pairwise master key identifier identifying a pairwise master key stored at the WLAN controller, and

the device being different from the first WLAN access point and the WLAN controller;

receive a message, associated with a second WLAN access point, after determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped,

the first WLAN access point and the second WLAN access point being controlled by the WLAN controller, and

the first WLAN access point being different from the second WLAN access point;

provide the pairwise master key identifier to the second WLAN access point based on receiving the message;

establish a second WLAN connection with the second WLAN access point based on providing the pairwise master key identifier and without performing re-authentication using the 802.11X extensible authentication protocol;

determine that a threshold amount of time has elapsed since storing the pairwise master key identifier; and

delete the pairwise master key identifier from the device based on determining that the threshold amount of time has elapsed.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, where providing the pairwise master key identifier prevents the re-authentication using the 802.11X extensible authentication protocol.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, where determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped does not include detecting a handover from the first WLAN access point to the second WLAN access point.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, where the first WLAN connection and the second WLAN connection are established according to an 802.11r protocol.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, where the pairwise master key identifier includes a pairwise master key.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the pairwise master key identifier, cause the one or more processors to:

provide the pairwise master key identifier in association with an Association Request message.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

generate the pairwise master key identifier based on the first WLAN connection being authenticated; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to store, at the device, the pairwise master key identifier, further cause the one or more processors to;

store, at the device, the pairwise master key identifier based on generating the pairwise master key identifier.

11. A method, comprising:

determining, by a device, that a first wireless local area network (WLAN) connection, established between the device and a first WLAN access point using an extensible authentication protocol, has been dropped;

caching, by the device, a pairwise master key identifier associated with the first WLAN access point and a WLAN controller,

the pairwise master key identifier identifying a pairwise master key stored at the WLAN controller, and

the device being different from the first WLAN access point and the WLAN controller;

detecting, by the device, a WLAN signal, associated with a second WLAN access point, after determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped,

the first WLAN access point and the second WLAN access point being controlled by the WLAN controller, and

the first WLAN access point being different from the second WLAN access point;

providing, by the device, the pairwise master key identifier to the second WLAN access point based on detecting the WLAN signal;

causing, by the device, a second WLAN connection to be established between the device and the second WLAN access point based on providing the pairwise master key identifier and without causing the device to be re-authenticated using the extensible authentication protocol;

determining, by the device, that a threshold amount of time has elapsed since caching the pairwise master key identifier; and

deleting, by the device, the pairwise master key identifier from the device based on determining that the threshold amount of time has elapsed.

12. The method of claim 11, where the threshold amount of time is greater than or equal to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) lease timer.

13. The method of claim 11, where providing the pairwise master key identifier comprises:

providing the pairwise master key identifier in an Association Request message associated with an 802.11 protocol.

14. The method of claim 11, where providing the pairwise master key identifier prevents the device from being re-authenticated using the extensible authentication protocol.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

discard the pairwise master key identifier based on determining that an IP address associated with the device for the first WLAN connection expired.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that a WLAN signal, that satisfies a threshold and is associated with the first WLAN connection, is not detected; and

where determining that the first WLAN connection has been dropped comprises;

determining, based on the WLAN signal satisfying the threshold, being associated with the first WLAN connection, and not being detected, that the first WLAN connection has been dropped.