Secure, efficient, and mutually authenticated cryptographic key distribution

• US 7,418,596 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Clare, Varsha, Green, Brian, Thomas, Steve, Carroll, Christopher, Flynn, Gerry, Rados, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moorthy; Aravind K
• Application Number:
  US10/200,922
• Time in Patent Office: 2,226 Days
• Field of Search: 713/169
• US Class Current: 713/169
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 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 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2876 Pairs of inter-processing entities at each side of the network, e.g. split proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/302 involving the integer factorization problem, e.g. RSA or quadratic sieve [QS] schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3273 for mutual authentication network architectures or network communication protocols for achieving mutual authentication in a packet data network H04L63/0869
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Systems and methods disclosed herein provide secure, efficient, and mutually authenticated cryptographic key distribution. A client or client manufacturer may pre-generate and pre-encrypt the cryptographic keys, store the encrypted keys within the client, and deliver such keys to the serving network'"'"'s access server via the client, while also relying upon, if available, the authentication performed by a trusted access server of an intermediate network which the client must traverse in order to obtain access the serving network. If not available, a client password stored within the client may be used to enable client authentication by the serving network prior to acceptance of the delivered cryptographic keys.

Claims

1. A method of distribution of at least one encryption key for use in controlling access of a mobile node to packet communication service via a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a key update instruction in the mobile node via the wireless communication network;

in response to the key update instruction, producing an encrypted key payload in the mobile node, wherein;

the encrypted key payload comprises the at least one encryption key for the mobile node and a first authenticator value generated from the at least one encryption key; and

the payload is encrypted with a public encryption key of a packet communication service control node of the wireless communication network;

sending the encrypted key payload through the wireless communication network, from the mobile node to the packet communication service control node, for decryption thereof with a private key of the packet communication service control node corresponding to the public encryption key;

receiving a reply message in the mobile node via the wireless communication network, the reply message containing a second authenticator value from the packet communication service control node; and

designating the at least one encryption key in the mobile node for use in future procedures to obtain access to the packet communication service of the wireless communication network via the service control node, upon determining that the second authenticator value matches the first authenticator value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one encryption key comprises one or more encryption keys for mobile internet protocol (MIP) service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more encryption keys for MIP service comprise:

a mobile node to home Authentication Authorization and Accounting server (MN-AAAh) encryption key; and

a

mobile node to home agent (MN-HA) encryption key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one encryption key comprises a Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) encryption key.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one encryption key further comprises:

a mobile node to home Authentication Authorization and Accounting server (MN-AAAh) encryption key; and

a

mobile node to home agent (MN-HA) encryption key.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted key payload further comprises a mobile authenticator value for authentication of the mobile node by the service control node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the producing of the encrypted key payload comprises reading of a selected one of a plurality of encrypted key payloads from pre-loaded storage in the mobile node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the producing of the encrypted key payload comprises:

generating the at least one encryption key in the mobile node;

generating, in the mobile node, the first authenticator value, using the at least one encryption key;

forming key payload data containing the at least one encryption key and the first authenticator value; and

and encrypting the key payload data with the public encryption key of the packet communication service control node, to form the encrypted key payload in the mobile node.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

loading the public encryption key into the mobile node; and

loading the private decryption key corresponding to the public encryption key into the packet communication service control node, to associate the public encryption key and the corresponding private decryption key with the packet communication service control node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile node comprises a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile station.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the wireless communication network is a CDMA network; and

the packet communication service control node comprises a home Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server of the CDMA network.

12. A mobile station for packet communication via a wireless communication network, the mobile station comprising:

a transmitter/receiver for transmitting and receiving packet data signals via the wireless communication network;

a controller coupled to the transmitter/receiver for controlling operations the mobile station; and

memory for storing key related data and programming for execution by the controller;

wherein execution of the programming by the controller causes the mobile station to implement operations, including;

receiving a key update instruction via the wireless communication network;

in response to the key update instruction, producing an encrypted key payload, wherein;

the encrypted key payload comprises at least one encryption key for the mobile station and a first authenticator value generated from the at least one encryption key; and

the payload is encrypted with a public encryption key of a packet communication service control node of the wireless communication network;

sending the encrypted key payload through the wireless communication network, to the packet communication service control node, for decryption thereof with a private key of the packet communication service control node corresponding to the public encryption key;

receiving a reply message via the wireless communication network, the reply message containing a second authenticator value from the packet communication service control node; and

designating the at least one encryption key in the mobile station for use in future procedures to obtain access to the packet communication service of the wireless communication network via the service control node, upon determining that the second authenticator value matches the first authenticator value.

13. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the at least one encryption key comprises one or more encryption keys for mobile internet protocol (MIP) service.

14. The mobile station of claim 13, wherein the one or more encryption keys for MIP service comprise:

a mobile node to home Authentication Authorization and Accounting server (MN-AAAh) encryption key; and

a

mobile node to home agent (MN-HA) encryption key.

15. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the at least one encryption key comprises a Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) encryption key.

16. The mobile station of claim 15, wherein the at least one encryption key further comprises:

a mobile node to home Authentication Authorization and Accounting server (MN-AAAh) encryption key; and

a

mobile node to home agent (MN-HA) encryption key.

17. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the encrypted key payload further comprises a mobile authenticator value for authentication of the mobile station by the service control node.

18. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein:

the memory stores a plurality of encrypted key payloads; and

the execution of the programming causes the controller to read a selected one of the encrypted key payloads from the memory in response to the key update instruction.

19. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the production of the encrypted key payload comprises:

generating the at least one encryption key in the mobile station;

generating, in the mobile station, the first authenticator value, using the at least one encryption key;

forming key payload data containing the at least one encryption key and the first authenticator value; and

and encrypting the key payload data with the public encryption key associated with the packet communication service control node, to form the encrypted key payload.

20. A method of distribution of at least one encryption key for use in controlling access of a mobile node to packet communication service via a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

issuing a key update instruction to the mobile node via the wireless communication network;

receiving a message from the mobile node containing an identifier of the mobile node, a key identifier and an encrypted key payload;

selecting a private decryption key from among a plurality of private decryption keys, based on the key identifier;

decrypting the encrypted key payload using the selected private decryption key, to recover a mobile node authentication value, a server authentication value, and the at least one encryption key for possible association with the mobile node; and

responsive to the recovered mobile node authentication value matching a stored mobile node authentication value for the mobile node indicated by the received mobile node identifier,

(a) storing the at least one encryption key in an access server for future use in controlling packet communication service via the wireless communication network for the mobile node; and

(b) sending a reply message via the wireless communication network to the mobile node, the reply message containing the server authentication value.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one encryption key comprises one or more encryption keys for mobile internet protocol (MIP) service.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more encryption keys for MIP service comprise:

a mobile node to home Authentication Authorization and Accounting server (MN-AAAh) encryption key; and

a

mobile node to home agent (MN-HA) encryption key.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one encryption key comprises a Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) encryption key.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one encryption key further comprises:

a mobile node to home Authentication Authorization and Accounting server (MN-AAAh) encryption key; and

a

mobile node to home agent (MN-HA) encryption key.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

generating the public encryption key, private decryption key and key identifier;

loading the public encryption key and key identifier into the mobile node; and

storing the private decryption key as one of the plurality of private decryption keys in the access server in such a manner as to be accessible using the key identifier.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the mobile node comprises a CDMA mobile station.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

the wireless communication network is a CDMA network; and

the access server comprises a home Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server of the CDMA network.