Ciphering as a part of the multicast concept

• US 20050015583A1
• Filed: 08/14/2002
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Karhuluoma, Niina, Vainio, Antti-pentti, Sarkkinen, Sinikka, Niemi, Valtteri, Kall, Jan, Kettunen, Kimmo
• Granted Patent: US 8,549,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/061 applying further key derivation, e.g. deriving traffic keys from a pair-wise master key cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords H04L9/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]

Abstract

The invention proposes a method for transmitting a message to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service, comprising the steps of encrypting a multicast message by using ciphering, and sending the encrypted multicast message to the plurality of user entities simultaneously. The invention also proposes a corresponding multicast service control device and a corresponding user entity.

Claims

1-61. -61. (Cancelled).

62. A method for transmitting a message to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service, comprising the steps of

encrypting a multicast message by using ciphering in a multicast service control device, and

sending the encrypted multicast message from the multicast service control device to the plurality of user entities

characterized in that

for ciphering, ciphering information is used,

a first part of the ciphering information is sent to the user entity when the user entity registers/subscribes with a multicast service, and

a second part of the ciphering information is sent to the user entity when a multicast transmission of encrypted multicast messages is activated.

63. The method according to claim 62, wherein the first part of the ciphering information is sent in a service subscription/registration response message in a point-to-point connection.

64. The method according to claim 62, wherein the second part of the ciphering information is sent in a joining response message.

65. The method according to claim 62, wherein service information is sent with the first part of the ciphering information, but the service information is not sent with the second part of the ciphering information.

66. The method according to claim 62, wherein ciphering is performed by using a ciphering key, and the ciphering information comprises one or more ciphering key generation related parameters.

67. The method according to claim 66, wherein the first part of the ciphering information comprises a first part of the ciphering key generation related parameter, and the second part of the ciphering information comprises a second part of the ciphering key generation related parameters.

68. The method according to claim 67, wherein the first part of the ciphering key generation related parameter comprises the most significant bits or the least significant bits from the ciphering key generation related parameter, and the second part of the ciphering key generation related parameters comprises the remaining bits from the ciphering key generation related parameters.

69. The method according to claim 66, wherein the ciphering key generation related parameter is sent with one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information, and the other part of the ciphering information comprises an indication how the ciphering key generation related parameter is to be used for calculating a ciphering key.

70. The method according to claim 62, wherein the second part of the ciphering information is ciphered by using a subscriber identity related parameter.

71. The method according claim 62, wherein

for ciphering, ciphering information is used,

the ciphering information is sent from the user entity to a multicast service control device, and

the ciphering information is used for authenticating the user entity by the multicast service control device.

72. The method according to claim 71, wherein the ciphering information contains a service identification identifying the requested service.

73. The method according to claim 71, wherein the ciphering information contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying the requested service.

74. The method according to claim 73, wherein the allocation between the service identification and the service indication is changed dynamically.

75. The method according to claim 73, wherein the allocation between the service identification and the service indication is determined using a map.

76. The method according to claim 73, wherein

ciphering is performed using a ciphering key,

a ciphering key is calculated based on the service indication and a user identification value,

and an authentication of the user entity is performed using the ciphering key.

77. The method according to claim 76, wherein the user identification value is the International Mobile Subscriber Identification (IMSI).

78. The method according to claim 71, wherein the ciphering information is sent to the multicast service control device in a message by using a channel not requiring a Radio Resource Controller (RRC) connection.

79. A multicast service control device for transmitting a message to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service, wherein

the device is adapted to encrypt a multicast message by using ciphering, and to send the encrypted multicast message to the plurality of user entities,

characterized in that

for ciphering, ciphering information is used, and

the device is adapted to send a first part of the ciphering information to the user entity when the user entity registers/subscribes with a multicast service, and to send a second part of the ciphering information to the user entity when a multicast transmission of encrypted multicast messages is activated.

80. The device according to claim 79, wherein the device is adapted to send the first part of the ciphering information in a service subscription/registration response message in a point-to-point connection.

81. The device according to claim 79, wherein the device is adapted to send the second part of the ciphering information in a joining response message.

82. The device according to claim 79, wherein the device is adapted to send service information with the first part of the ciphering information, but to avoid sending the service information with the second part of the ciphering information.

83. The device according to claim 79, wherein the device is adapted to perform ciphering by using a ciphering key, and the ciphering information comprises one or more ciphering key generation related parameters.

84. The device according to claim 83, wherein the first part of the ciphering information comprises a first part of the ciphering key generation related parameter, and the second part of the ciphering information comprises a second part of the ciphering key generation related parameters.

85. The device according to claim 84, wherein the first part of the ciphering key generation related parameter comprises the most significant bits or the least significant bits from the ciphering key generation related parameter, and the second part of the ciphering key generation related parameters comprises the remaining bits from the ciphering key generation related parameters.

86. The device according to claim 83, wherein the ciphering key generation related parameter is sent with one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information, and the other part of the ciphering information comprises an indication how the ciphering key generation related parameter is to be used for calculating a ciphering key.

87. The device according to claim 79, wherein the second part of the ciphering information is ciphered by using a subscriber identity related parameter.

88. The device according claim 79, wherein

the device is adapted to receive ciphering information from the user entity, and to authenticate the user entity by using the ciphering information.

89. The device according to claim 88, wherein the ciphering information contains a service identification identifying the requested service.

90. The device according to claim 89, wherein the ciphering information contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying the requested service.

91. The device according to claim 90, wherein the allocation between the service identification and the service indication is changed dynamically.

92. The device according to claim 90, wherein the allocation between the service identification and the service indication is determined using a map.

93. The device according to claim 90, wherein

ciphering is performed using a ciphering key, and

the device is adapted to re-calculate the service indication and a user identification value from the ciphering key, and to authenticate the user based on the service indication and the user identification.

94. The device according to claim 93, wherein the user identification value is the International Mobile Subscriber Identification (IMSI).

95. The device according to claim 88, wherein the device is adapted to receive the ciphering information in a message by using a channel not requiring a Radio Resource Controller (RRC) connection.

110. A network system comprising a multicast service control device according to claim 79, further comprising:

a user entity, which is adapted to receive an encrypted multicast message transmitted to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service, and to decrypt the encrypted multicast message by using ciphering,

characterized in that

for ciphering, ciphering information is used, and the user entity is adapted to receive a first part of the ciphering information when the user entity registers/subscribes with a multicast service, and to receive a second part of the ciphering information when a multicast transmission of encrypted multicast messages is activated.

111. The network system according to claim 110, wherein the encryption and the decryption is performed by using a ciphering key.

112. The network system according to claim 111, wherein the ciphering key is the same for encrypting and decrypting.

113. The network system according to claim 111, wherein a first ciphering key is used for encrypting, and a second ciphering key different from the first ciphering key is used for decrypting.

114. The network system according to claim 111, wherein the multicast service control device is adapted to send ciphering related parameters to the user entity when the user entity registers with a service sending encrypted messages to a plurality of user entities.

115. The network system according to claim 111, wherein the multicast service control device is adapted to send ciphering related parameters to the user entity when a transmission of encrypted messages to a plurality of user entities is activated.

96. A user entity, which is adapted to receive an encrypted multicast message transmitted to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service, and to decrypt the encrypted multicast message by using ciphering,

characterized in that

for ciphering, ciphering information is used, and the user entity is adapted to receive a first part of the ciphering information when the user entity registers/subscribes with a multicast service, and to receive a second part of the ciphering information when a multicast transmission of encrypted multicast messages is activated.

97. The user entity according to claim 96, wherein the device is adapted to receive the first part of the ciphering information in a service registration response message in a point-to-point connection.

98. The user entity according to claim 97, wherein the device is adapted to receive the second part of the ciphering information in a joining response message.

99. The user entity according to claim 97, wherein the device is adapted to perform ciphering by using a ciphering key, and the ciphering information comprises one or more ciphering key generation related parameters.

100. The user entity according to claim 99, wherein the first part of the ciphering information comprises a first part of the ciphering key generation related parameter, and the second part of the ciphering information comprises a second part of the ciphering key generation related parameters.

101. The user entity according to claim 100, wherein the first part of the ciphering key generation related parameter comprises the most significant bits or the least significant bits from the ciphering key generation related parameter, and the second part of the ciphering key generation related parameters comprises the remaining bits from the ciphering key generation related parameters.

102. The user entity according to claim 99, wherein the device is adapted to receive the ciphering key generation related parameter with one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information, and the other part of the ciphering information comprises an indication how the ciphering key generation related parameter is to be used for calculating a ciphering key.

103. The user entity according to claim 99, wherein the second part of the ciphering information is ciphered by using a subscriber identity related parameter.

104. The user entity according to claim 96, wherein the ciphering information contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying the requested service.

105. The user entity according to claim 104, wherein the allocation between the service identification and the service indication is changed dynamically.

106. The user entity according to claim 104, wherein the user entity is adapted to determine the allocation between the service identification and the service indication by using a map.

107. The user entity according to claim 104, wherein

ciphering is performed using a ciphering key, and

the device is adapted to calculate the ciphering key based on the service indication and a user identification value, and to send the ciphering key to a multicast service control device as an authentication key.

108. The user entity according to claim 104, wherein the user identification value is the International Mobile Subscriber Identification (IMSI).

109. The user entity according to claim 96, wherein the user entity is adapted to send the ciphering information to the multicast service control device in a message by using a channel not requiring a Radio Resource Controller (RRC) connection.

116. A method for authenticating a user entity, comprising the steps of

generating an authentication key based on at least one authentication parameter in the user entity,

sending a message including the authentication key in a message from the user entity to the network control device, and

authenticating the user entity by using the received authentication key in the network control device,

wherein the authentication parameter contains a service identification identifying a requested service.

117. The method according to claim 116, wherein the authentication parameter comprises a user identification value.

118. The method according to claim 117, wherein the user identification value is the International Mobile Subscriber Identification (IMSI).

119. The method according to claim 116, wherein the authentication parameter contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying a requested service.

120. The method according to claim 119, wherein the allocation between the service identification and the service indication is changed dynamically.

121. The method according to claim 119, wherein the allocation between the service identification and the service indication is determined using a map.

122. The method according to claim 116, wherein the message containing the authentication key is sent to the network control device by using a channel not requiring an RRC connection.