NETWORK NODE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING FALSE BASE STATIONS

• US 20180070239A1
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Published: 03/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: NORRMAN, Karl, CENTONZA, Angelo, MOWLR, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 10,200,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports

Abstract

A method performed by a network node, for detecting a false base station in a communications network. The network node operates in the communication network and is adapted to serve a network device via a serving Radio Access, RA, node. The network node sends a message to a network device, which message comprises configuration data configuring the network device to perform measurements in order to collect information transmitted by network nodes in a surrounding area of the network device. The network node further receives a message comprising measurement reports from the network device according to the configuration. The network node further provides an indication that a false base station is present when a difference between the received information in the measurement report and a predetermined target information is detected.

Claims

1. A method performed by a network node for detecting a false base station in a communications network, which network node operates in the communication network and wherein the network node is adapted to serve a network device via a serving radio access node, the method comprising:

sending a message to a network device, which message comprises configuration data configuring the network device to perform measurements in order to collect information transmitted by network nodes in a surrounding area of the network device;

receiving a message comprising measurement reports from the network device according to the configuration; and

providing an indication that a false base station is present when a difference between the received information in the measurement report and a predetermined target information is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the received information in the measurement report with a predetermined target information in order to detect differences between the received information and the predetermined target information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a second message to the network device configuring the network device to collect a secondary information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information transmitted by the network nodes comprises physical cell identifiers, carrier frequencies and pilot signal strengths.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is collected from frequencies and radio technologies not used when the network node and network device communicate themselves.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target information is cell planning data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the difference between the received information and the target information is detected based on the difference of the pilot signal strength.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the difference between the received information and the target information is detected based on a presence of a cell identity in the received information which is not present in the target information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the difference between the collected information and the target information is averaged over a plurality of network devices, and/or over a plurality of measurements made by a single network device, and/or over a plurality of measurements made by a plurality of network devices.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the secondary information is a System Information Block.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the comparison may comprise verifying that a given cell identifier and Cell Global Identity in the secondary information are assigned to the same Tracking Area Code or Location Area Code as in the secondary target information.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the network node configures the network device to perform measurements based on a Minimization to Drive Test function.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the network node configures the network device to perform measurements using an Automatic Neighbor Relation function.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration is triggered by an event, which event is a handover or a detection of a pilot signaling strength exceeding a threshold value.

15. A network node for performing a method for detecting a false base station in a communications network, which network node operates in the communication network and wherein the network node is adapted to serve a network device via a serving radio access node, wherein the network node is configured to:

send a message to a network device, which message comprises configuration data for configuring the network device to perform measurements in order to collect information transmitted by network nodes in a surrounding area of the network device,

receive a message comprising measurement reports from the network device according to the configuration,

provide an indication that a false base station is present, when a difference between the received information in the measurement report and the predetermined target information has been detected.

16. The network node of claim 15, wherein the network node is further configured to:

compare received information in the measurement report with a predetermined target information in order to detect differences between the received information and the predetermined target information.

17. A method for detecting a false base station in a communications network, the method comprising:

a first base station receiving a report transmitted by a user equipment (UE) being served by the first base station, the report comprising a physical cell identifier (PCI) that the UE determined from synchronization signals received by the UE, wherein the synchronization signals were transmitted by a second base station neighboring the first base station; and

the first base station determining whether the second base station is a false base station based on the PCI reported by the UE.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining whether the second base station is a false base station based on the PCI reported by the UE comprises:

the first base station determining whether the PCI reported by the UE is included in a list of PCIs maintained by the first base station.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining whether the second base station is a false base station based on the PCI reported by the UE comprises:

the first base station instructing the UE to obtain secondary information as a result of the first base station determining that the PCI reported by the UE is not included in the list of PCIs maintained by the first base station.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

the secondary information comprises one or more of:

a Cell Global Identity (CGI), a Location Area Code (LAC), and a Tracking Area Code (TAC), and

the first base station determines whether the second base station is a false base station based on the secondary information.