Method for two-party authentication and key agreement

• US 6,918,035 B1
• Filed: 07/31/1998
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Sarvar
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Callahan, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US09/127,767
• Time in Patent Office: 2,538 Days
• Field of Search: 380247-249, 713/156, 713/168, 713/169, 713/202, 455/411
• US Class Current: 713/169
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

According to the two party authentication method, a first party generates and transfers a random number to a second party as a first challenge. The second party increments a count value in response to the first challenge, generates a first challenge response by performing a keyed cryptographic function (KCF) on the first challenge and the count value using a first key, and transfers the count value, as a second challenge, and the first challenge response to the first party. The first party verifies the second party based on the first challenge, the second challenge and the first challenge response. The first party also generates a second challenge response by performing the KCF on the second challenge using the first key, and transfers the second challenge response to the second party. The second party verifies the first party based on the second challenge and the second challenge response. For instance, the first and second parties can be a network and mobile, respectively, in a wireless system. Also, based on the first and second challenges, both the first and second parties may generate another key.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a first party at a second party, comprising:

(a) receiving a random number from said first party as a first challenge;

(b) incrementing a count value in response to receiving said first challenge;

(c) generating a first challenge response by performing a keyed cryptographic function (KCF) on said first challenge and said count value using a first key;

(d) transferring said count value, as a second challenge, and said first challenge response to said first party;

(e) receiving a second challenge response from said first party, said second challenge response being a result of performing said KCF on said second challenge using said first key; and

(f) verifying said first party based on said second challenge and said second challenge response, wherein

said first party is a network of a wireless system and said second party is a mobile, and

said step (c) generates said first challenge response by performing said KCF on said first challenge, said count value and type data using said first key, said type data indicating a type of protocol being performed by said network and said mobile.

2. The method of claim 1, prior to said step (c), further comprising:

(g) generating said first key using a root key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) generates said first challenge response by performing said KCF on said first challenge, said count value, and an identifier for said second party using said first key.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) establishing a second key based on said first and second challenges.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (a) receives a global challenge as said first challenge from said first party.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) generates said first challenge response by performing said KCF on said first challenge, said count value, an identifier for said mobile, and type data using said first key.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) establishing a second key based on said first and second challenges.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said second key is one of secret shared data and a session key.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (b) increments said count value using a bit counter of greater than 64 bits and which was initialized using a random number.

10. A method for authenticating a first party at a second party, comprising:

(a) outputting a random number as a first challenge;

(b) receiving a second challenge and a first challenge response from said first party, said second challenge being a count value, and said first challenge response being a result of performing a keyed cryptographic function (KCF) on said first challenge and said count value using a first key;

(c) verifying said first party based on said first challenge, said second challenge, and said first challenge response;

(d) generating a second challenge response by performning said KCF on said second challenge using said first key; and

(e) transferring said second challenge response to said second party, wherein

said first party is a mobile of a wireless system and said second party is a network, and

said step (c) generates said second challenge response by performing said KCF on said second challenge and type data using said first key, said type data indicating a type of protocol being performed by said network and said mobile.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(c) establishing a second key based on said first and second challenges.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said step (a) outputs said first challenge as a global challenge.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said first party is a mobile of a wireless system and said second party is a network.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(c) establishing a second key based on said first and second challenges.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said second key is one of secret shared data and a session key.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said step (c) generates said second challenge response by performing said KCF on said second challenge and an identifier for said second party using said first key.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said step (c) generates said second challenge response by performing said KCF on said second challenge, an identifier for said network, and type data using said first key.