WIRELESS DEVICE AUTHENTICATION AND SECURITY KEY MANAGEMENT

• US 20090034736A1
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: French, Michael T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0844 with user authentication or key authentication, e.g. ElGamal, MTI, MQV-Menezes-Qu-Vanstone protocol or Diffie-Hellman protocols using implicitly-certified keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

A method and wireless device for updating at least one cryptographic security key (116) associated with a wireless device (104) and an authentication module (108). An over-the-air programming message comprising security key update information is received (804) from an information processing system (118). The security key update information is processed (808). At least one new security key is extracted from the security key update information in response to the processing (806). At least one existing security key (116) is updated with the at least one new security key (124) that has been extracted.

Claims

1. A method for updating a cryptographic security key associated with a wireless device and an authentication module, the method comprising:

receiving, from an information processing system, an over-the-air programming message having security key update information comprising a new security key associated with the wireless device and the authentication module;

processing the security key update information;

extracting, in response to the processing, the new security key from the security key update information; and

updating, in response to the extracting, an existing security key with the new security key that has been extracted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication module comprises a Radio Frequency Identification tag.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a communication channel with the authentication module; and

transmitting the new security key to the authentication module.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein establishing a communication channel further comprises:

determining whether the authentication module is detected;

in response to determining that the authentication module is detected, querying the authentication module;

in response to the querying, determining that the authentication module is associated with the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining that the authentication module is associated with the wireless device further comprises:

receiving, in response to the querying, a response from the authentication module indicating that the wireless device and the authentication module have at least one substantially identical security key.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing further comprises at least:

decrypting the security key update information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the security key update information comprises one of a set of new security keys and instructions to invalidate an existing key.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating further comprises at least one of:

replacing the existing security key with an active valid key; and

replacing the existing security key with a null key thereby deactivating at least one function of the wireless device.

9. A method for updating cryptographic security keys associated with a wireless device and an authentication module, the method comprising:

determining that a security key associated with the wireless device and the authentication module is required to be updated;

selecting a new security key associated with the wireless device and the authentication module;

encapsulating the new security key in a secure update message; and

transmitting an over-the-air-programming message comprising the secure update message to the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising forwarding the secure update message from the wireless device to the at least one authentication module.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that a security key associated with a wireless device is required to be updated comprises at least one of:

receiving a security key update request from a user; and

determining that a crypto-period associated with the security key has expired.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting a new security key comprises at least one of:

selecting a new key pre-existing in a security database; and

automatically generating a new security key in response to determining that a security key associated with a wireless device is required to be updated.

13. A wireless device adapted to update a cryptographic security key associated with the wireless device and an authentication module, the wireless device comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory;

a security key updating module communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the security key updating module is adapted to;

receive, from an information processing system, an over-the-air programming message having security key update information comprising a new security key associated with the wireless device and the authentication module;

process the security key update information;

extract, in response to the processing, the new security key from the security key update information; and

update, in response to the extracting, an existing security key with the new security key that has been extracted.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the security key updating module is further adapted to:

establish a communication channel with the authentication module associated with the wireless device; and

transmit the new security key to the authentication module, wherein the new security is destined to update an existing security key.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the security key updating module, with respect to establishing a communication channel communication, is further adapted to:

determine if the authentication module is detected;

in response to determining that the authentication module is detected, query the authentication module; and

determine, in response to the querying, that the authentication module is associated with the wireless device.

16. The wireless device of claim 15, wherein the security key updating module, with respect to determining that the authentication module is associated with the wireless device, is further adapted to:

in response to the querying, receive a response from the authentication module indicating that the wireless device and the authentication module are secured by a substantially identical security key.

17. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein processing the security key update information further comprises

decrypting the security key updating information.

18. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the security key update information comprises one of a set of new security keys and instructions to invalidate an existing key.

19. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the security key updating module, with respect to updating the existing security key, is further adapted to:

replace the existing security key with an active valid key; and

replace the existing security key with a null key thereby deactivating at least one function of the wireless device.

20. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the authentication module comprises a Radio Frequency Identification tag.