Authentication Token for Identifying a Cloning Attack onto such Authentication Token

• US 20090177882A1
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Bhargav, Yugant, Saran, Swami
• Granted Patent: US 8,689,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/159
• 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 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

The invention relates to an authentication token (10) for a communication network comprising a microprocessor (11), a memory (12), a stored secret key (Ki) and a set of instructions for controlling the microprocessor (11) into performing an authentication calculation on the basis of a received random (RAND) and on the basis of the stored secret key, characterized in that it includes a memory location dedicated for storing a counter value and it includes instructions for making the counter value evolve each time the authentication calculation is performed.

Claims

1. An authentication token for a communication network comprising:

a microprocessor;

a memory;

a stored secret key (Ki); and

a set of instructions for controlling the microprocessor into performing an authentication calculation on the basis of a received random value (RAND) and on the basis of the stored secret key, wherein that it the authentication token further comprises;

a memory location dedicated for storing a counter value; and

instructions for making the counter value evolve each time the authentication calculation is performed.

2. The authentication token according to claim 1, wherein it the authentication token includes a set of instructions for controlling the microprocessor of the authentication token into comparing the counter value as stored in the authentication token and the a counter value as received from a remote server assembly and initiating a disabling of the authentication token in the communication network in case the two counter values mismatch.

3. An The authentication token according to claim 2, wherein that the authentication token further comprises:

instructions which initiate the disabling of the authentication token in the communication network by sending a message to the remote server assembly indicating the mismatch.

4. The authentication token according to claim 2, wherein the authentication token further comprises:

instructions which initiate the disabling of the authentication token in the communication network by disabling functionalities of the authentication token.

5. The authentication token according to claim 1, wherein the authentication token further comprises:

instructions for controlling the microprocessor into periodically sending the counter value stored in the memory of the authentication token to the remote server assembly.

6. A server assembly for a communication network comprising:

a processor assembly;

a memory;

a stored secret key (Ki) associated to a remote authentication token; and

a set of instructions for controlling the processor assembly into generating a random value (RAND) and additionally performing an authentication calculation on the basis of the random value (RAND) and the stored secret key (Ki), wherein the server assembly includes;

a memory location dedicated for storing a counter value; and

instructions for making the counter value evolve each time the authentication calculation is performed.

7. The server assembly according to claim 6, wherein the server assembly stores a set of instructions for controlling the processor assembly of the server assembly into comparing the counter value stored in the memory location of the server assembly with a counter value received from the remote authentication token.

8. The server assembly according to claim 6, it further comprising:

an account of a holder of the remote authentication token and wherein the server assembly includes;

a set of instructions for controlling the processor assembly into disabling an account of the holder in case the counter value as stored in the dedicated memory location of the server assembly and the counter value as received from the remote authentication token mismatch.

9. A server assembly for a communication network comprising:

a processor assembly;

a memory;

a stored secret key (Ki) associated to a remote authentication token; and

a set of instructions for controlling the processor assembly of the server assembly into generating a random value, sending such random value to the remote authentication token and performing an authentication calculation on the basis of the random value (RAND) and the stored secret key (Ki), the set of instructions instructing the processor assembly to compare a result of the authentication calculation with a result of the same authentication calculation as received from the remote personal authentication token, wherein the server assembly includes;

a memory location dedicated for storing a counter value and

instructions for making the counter value evolve each time the comparison reveals that the comparison results match.

10. The server assembly according to claim 9, further comprising:

includes an account of a holder of the remote authentication token and wherein the server assembly includes a set of instructions for controlling the processor assembly into disabling the account of the holder in case the counter value as stored in the memory of the server assembly and the counter value as received from the remote authentication token mismatch.

11. The server assembly according to claim 9, wherein the server assembly further comprises instructions for controlling the processor assembly into periodically sending the counter value stored in the memory of the server assembly to the remote authentication token.