Method for cryptographically verifiable identification of a physical unit in a public, wireless telecommunications network

• US 8,638,933 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPCom GmbH & Co KG
• Original Assignee: IPCom GmbH & Co KG
• Inventors: Adi, Wael
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, JEREMIAH L
• Application Number:
  US13/619,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20130072159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/26 Testing cryptographic entity, e.g. testing integrity of encryption key or encryption algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• 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 12/75 Temporary identity

Abstract

A method for confirming identity of a physical unit (M) in an open, wireless telecommunications network, having the following steps: storing a secret identity (SIMEI) and an open identity (IMEI) in memory in the physical unit (M); receiving an identity request (IR) with a first parameter (CHv) from the testing device (P) at the physical unit (M); generating an electronic signature (SIGt) by means of a first cryptographic function (F3) from the secret identity (SIMEI) and at least the first parameter (CHv) in the physical unit (M), and sending the generated electronic signature (SIGt) and the open identity (IMEI) to a testing device (P); wherein the identity of the physical unit (M) is confirmed if the electronic signature (SIGt) matches a corresponding electronic signature (SIGv) generated by the testing device by application of a first cryptographic function to the secret identity (SIMEI).

Claims

1. A method for confirming identity of a mobile telephone in an open, wireless telecommunications network, having the following steps:

a) storing a mobile phone secret identity in an identity module of the mobile telephone and a mobile phone open identity in a nonvolatile memory in the mobile telephone, the secret identity being an encryption of the open identity;

b) receiving at the mobile telephone an identity request with a first parameter from a testing device;

c) generating an electronic signature by means of a first cryptographic function from the secret identity and at least the first parameter in the mobile telephone, and sending the generated electronic signature and the open identity to the testing device;

wherein the secret identity is such that the open identity of the mobile telephone is confirmed if the electronic signature matches a corresponding electronic signature generated by the testing device by application of the first cryptographic function to the secret identity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret identity is generated by a second cryptographic function from the open identity and a second secret key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding electronic signature is generated as a function of an open key, which is sent to the testing device over the internet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic signature is generated from the secret identity, the first parameter and a second parameter and the first and second parameters are linked with the secret identity by means of an exclusive-OR function.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic signature is generated from the secret identity, the first parameter and a second parameter and the first and second parameters are multiplexed and then linked with the secret identity by means of an exclusive-OR function, with a feedback from the output of the first cryptographic function to the exclusive-OR function.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and/or second parameters are provided in the form of random variables.