Ciphering as a part of the multicast concept

• US 8,549,287 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2002
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sarkkinen, Sinikka, Kettunen, Kimmo, Karhuluoma, Niina, Vainio, Antti-Pentti, Niemi, Valtteri, Kall, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, CHAU D
• Application Number:
  US10/493,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,066 Days
• Field of Search: 713/150, 713/163, 713/168, 713/170, 713/179
• US Class Current: 713/163
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/061 applying further key derivation, e.g. deriving traffic keys from a pair-wise master key cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords H04L9/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• 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 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• 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]

Abstract

The invention proposes a method for transmitting a message to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service, comprising the steps of encrypting a multicast message by using ciphering, and sending the encrypted multicast message to the plurality of user entities simultaneously. The invention also proposes a corresponding multicast service control device and a corresponding user entity.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

encrypting a multicast message by using ciphering in a multicast service control device, wherein, for ciphering, a ciphering key is used;

sending the encrypted multicast message from the multicast service control device to a plurality of user entities;

sending, in a first message when a user entity from the plurality of user entities registers with a multicast service, a first part of a ciphering information to the user entity; and

sending, in a second message, a second part of the ciphering information to the user entity, when a multicast transmission of encrypted messages is activated by the multicast service control device;

wherein the ciphering information comprises at least one parameter from which the ciphering key is derived, wherein the ciphering key is derived by at least one of the plurality of user entities based on at least the first part of the ciphering information and the second part of the ciphering information forming the at least one parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first message comprises a service subscription/registration response message in a point-to-point connection.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second message comprises a joining response message sent subsequent to at least one of authorization and authentication of a subscriber.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein service information is sent with the first part of the ciphering information, but the service information is not sent with the second part of the ciphering information.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first part of the ciphering key derivation related parameter comprises the most significant bits or the least significant bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameter, and a second part of the ciphering key derivation related parameters comprises the remaining bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameters.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is sent with one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information, and a remaining one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information comprises an indication how the at least one parameter is to be used for calculating the ciphering key.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second part of the ciphering information is ciphered by using a value representative of a subscriber identity comprising an international mobile subscriber identification.

8. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the ciphering information is sent from the user entity to the multicast service control device, and

wherein the ciphering information is used for authenticating the user entity by the multicast service control device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the ciphering information contains a service identification identifying a requested service.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the ciphering information contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying a requested service.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the allocated value is changed dynamically.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the allocated value is determined using a map.

13. The method according to claim 10,

wherein, the ciphering key is calculated using the service indication and a user identification value,

and wherein, an authentication of the user entity is performed using the ciphering key.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the user identification value is an international mobile subscriber identification.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the ciphering information is sent to the multicast service control device in a message by using a channel not requiring a radio resource controller connection.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a physical encrypting processor configured to encrypt a multicast message by using ciphering, wherein, for ciphering, a ciphering key is used; and

a physical transmitter configured to send the encrypted multicast message to a plurality of user entities,

wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, in a first message when a user entity from the plurality of user entities registers with a multicast service, a first part of a ciphering information to the user entity, and to send, in a second message, a second part of the ciphering information to the user entity, when a multicast transmission of encrypted messages is activated by the multicast service;

wherein the ciphering information comprises at least one parameter from which the ciphering key is derived, wherein the ciphering key is derived by at least one of the plurality of user entities based on at least the first part of the ciphering information and the second part of the ciphering information forming the at least one parameter.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first message comprises service subscription/registration response message in a point-to-point connection.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second message comprises a joining response message sent subsequent to at least one of authorization and authentication of a subscriber.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send service information with the first part of the ciphering information, but to avoid sending the service information with the second part of the ciphering information.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a first part of the ciphering key derivation related parameter comprises the most significant bits or the least significant bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameter, and a second part of the ciphering key derivation related parameters comprises the remaining bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameters.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the physical transmitter is further configured to send the at least one parameter with one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information, and a remaining one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information comprises an indication how the at least one parameter is to be used for calculating the ciphering key.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the physical encryption unit is further configured to cipher a second part of the ciphering information by using a value representative of a subscriber identity comprising an international mobile subscriber identification.

23. The apparatus according claim 16, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive ciphering information from the user entity; and

an authenticator configured to authenticate the user entity by using the ciphering information.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the ciphering information contains a service identification identifying a requested service.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the ciphering information contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying the requested service.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the allocated value is changed dynamically.

27. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the allocated value is determined using a map.

28. The apparatus according to claim 25,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a calculator configured to re-calculate the service indication and a user identification value from the ciphering key, and

wherein the authenticator is further configured to authenticate the user based on the service indication and the user identification.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the user identification value is an international mobile subscriber identification.

30. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the ciphering information in a message by using a channel not requiring a radio resource controller connection.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a physical receiver configured to receive an encrypted multicast message transmitted to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service; and

a physical decrypting processor configured to decrypt the encrypted multicast message by using ciphering, wherein, for ciphering, a ciphering key is used,

wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, in a first message, a first part of ciphering information when a user entity from the plurality of user entities registers with a multicast service, and to receive, in a second message, a second part of the ciphering information when a multicast transmission of encrypted multicast messages is activated by the multicast service,

wherein the ciphering information comprises at least one parameter from which the ciphering key is derived, wherein the ciphering key is derived by at least one of the plurality of user entities based on at least the first part of the ciphering information and the second part of the ciphering information forming the at least one parameter.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the physical receiver is further configured to receive the first part of the ciphering information in a service registration response message in a point-to-point connection.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the physical receiver is further configured to receive the second part of the ciphering information in a joining response message sent subsequent to at least one of authorization and authentication of a subscriber.

34. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein a first part of the ciphering key derivation related parameter comprises the most significant bits or the least significant bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameter, and a second part of the ciphering key derivation related parameters comprises the remaining bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameters.

35. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the physical receiver is further configured to receive the at least one parameter with one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information, and a remaining one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information comprises an indication how the at least one parameter is to be used for calculating the ciphering key.

36. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the physical decrypting processor is further configured to cipher the second part of the ciphering information by using a value representative of the subscriber identity comprising an international mobile subscriber identification.

37. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the ciphering information contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying a requested service.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the allocated value is changed dynamically.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the allocated value is determined using a map.

40. The apparatus according to claim 37,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a calculating processor configured to calculate the ciphering key based on the service indication and a user identification value, and to send the ciphering key to a multicast service control device as an authentication key.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the user identification value is an international mobile subscriber identification.

42. The apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising a transmitter configured to send the ciphering information to the multicast service control device in a message by using a channel not requiring a radio resource controller connection.

43. A system, comprising:

a multicast service control node, wherein the multicast service control node further comprises;

a physical encrypting processor configured to encrypt a multicast message by using ciphering, wherein, for ciphering, a ciphering key is used, and

a physical transmitter configured to send the encrypted multicast message to a plurality of user entities; and

a user entity from the plurality of user entities wherein the user entity further comprises

a receiver configured to receive the encrypted multicast message transmitted to the plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service, and

a physical decrypting processor configured to decrypt the encrypted multicast message by using ciphering and the ciphering key,

wherein the physical transmitter is further configured to send, in a first message, a first part of ciphering information to the user entity when the user entity registers with the multicast service, and to send, in a second message, a second part of the ciphering information to the user entity when a multicast transmission of encrypted multicast messages is activated by the multicast service,

wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the first part of the ciphering information when the user entity registers with the multicast service, and to receive the second part of the ciphering information when a multicast transmission of encrypted multicast messages is activated,

wherein the ciphering information comprises at least one parameter from which the ciphering parameter is derived, wherein the ciphering key is derived by at least one of the plurality of user entities based on at least the first part of the ciphering information and the second part of the ciphering information forming the at least one parameter.

44. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a physical receiver, an encrypted multicast message encrypted using a ciphering key and transmitted to a plurality of user entities in a network by using a multicast service;

decrypting the encrypted multicast message by using ciphering;

receiving, in a first message, when a user entity from the plurality of user entities registers with the multicast service, a first part of ciphering information; and

receiving, in a second message, a second part of the ciphering information, when a multicast transmission of encrypted messages is activated by the multicast service,

wherein the ciphering information comprises at least one parameter from which the ciphering key is derived, wherein the ciphering key is derived by at least one of the plurality of user entities based on at least the first part of the ciphering information and the second part of the ciphering information forming the at least one parameter.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the receiving the first part of the ciphering information further comprises receiving the first part of the ciphering information in a service registration response message in a point-to-point connection.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the receiving the second part of the ciphering information further comprises receiving the second part of the ciphering information in a joining response message.

47. The method according to claim 44, wherein a first part of the ciphering key derivation related parameter comprises the most significant bits or the least significant bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameter, and a second part of the ciphering key derivation related parameters comprises the remaining bits from the ciphering key derivation related parameters.

48. The method according to claim 44, further comprising receiving the at least one parameter with one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information, and a remaining one of the first or the second part of the ciphering information comprises an indication how the at least one parameter is to be used for calculating the ciphering key.

49. The method according to claim 44, wherein the decrypting the encrypted multicast message further comprises ciphering the second part of the ciphering information by using a value representative of the subscriber identity comprising an international mobile subscriber identification.

50. The method according to claim 44, wherein the ciphering information contains a service indication, which is a value allocated to a service identification identifying a requested service.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the allocated value is changed dynamically.

52. The method according to claim 50, wherein the allocated value is determined using a map.

53. The method according to claim 50, wherein the method further comprises:

calculating the ciphering key based on the service indication and a user identification value; and

sending the ciphering key to a multicast service control device as an authentication key.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the user identification value is an international mobile subscriber identification.

55. The method according to claim 44, further comprising sending the ciphering information to the multicast service control device in a message by using a channel not requiring a radio resource controller connection.