Method and system for selective protection of data exchanged between user equipment and network

• US 9,497,169 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Baghel, Sudhir Kumar, Anil, Agiwal, Rajadurai, Rajavelsamy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehedi, Morshed
• Application Number:
  US14/406,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20150143463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/67 Risk-dependent, e.g. selecting a security level depending on risk profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system for providing selective protection of data exchanged between user equipment (UE) and network is disclosed. The selective protection is applied to a packet, a bearer or an access point name for secure exchange of data between the UE and the network. The network decides to apply selective protection based on configuration of network, configuration of UE, load in the network, battery power availability of UE, type of application running on UE. Further, the UE can request for selective protection based on the type of application running on UE and the battery level availability of the UE. The selective protection is either enabled or disabled dynamically by the network. Further, various mechanisms for applying selective protection for each bearer, each packet and each Access Point Name (APN) are disclosed. Additionally, the method for identifying a secured and a non secured bearer has also been disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for a network node, the method comprising:

receiving a message including an access point name (APN) from a terminal;

identifying whether the terminal supports a selective protection mechanism;

determining whether to perform the selective protection for at least one packet associated with at least one bearer corresponding to the APN included in the received message, if the terminal supports the selecting protection mechanism; and

applying the selective protection to the at least one packet associated with at least one bearer, if to perform the selective protection is determined.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the applying the selective protection further comprises:

applying the selective protection to at least one of a packet, a bearer, and the access point name (APN).

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identifying further comprises:

receiving an indication for indicating a terminal capability corresponding to the selective protection from the terminal; and

determining the terminal supports the selective protection mechanism if the indication is received from the terminal.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the applying the selective protection further comprises:

applying the selective protection to the at least one bearer; and

providing an indication indicating whether the bearer is secured or unsecured with other network node,

wherein the at least one bearer is associated with at least one of a quality of service QoS class identifier (QCI), a secured or a non-secured indication, and an Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP).

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the applying the selective protection further comprises:

applying the selective protection to the at least one packet associated with the at least one bearer corresponding to a type of application running on the terminal,

wherein the selective protection is indicated in a reserved bit, and

wherein the reserved bit is set to one if the protection is enabled on the packet associated with the at least one bearer.

6. The method as in claim 2, wherein the applying the selective protection further comprises:

applying the selective protection to the at least one the APN, upon receiving a service request from the terminal, wherein the service request from the terminal comprises the at least one APN, and

wherein the applying the selective protection to the APN, if the message is a service request message which includes the APN and a security indication.

16. The method as in claim 1, wherein the applying the selective protection further comprises:

applying the selective protection to the at least one packet associated with at least one bearer based on at least a type of application running on the UE, a battery power availability of the UE, a load in the network, a configuration of the UE, and a configuration of the network.

17. The method as in claim 1, wherein the selective protection is applied based on at least one of a packet size, an application protocol, and transport layer protocol.

19. The method as in claim 2, wherein bearer comprises an indication indicating whether the bearer is to be protected.

7. A network node, the network node comprising

a transceiver configured to receive a message including an access point name (APN) from a terminal;

and

a controller configured to;

identify whether the terminal supports a selective protection mechanism;

determine whether to perform the selective protection for at least one packet associated with at least one bearer corresponding to the APN included in the received message if the terminal supports the selecting protection mechanism; and

apply the selective protection to the at least one packet associated with at least one bearer if whether to perform the selective protection is determined.

8. The network as in claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to apply the selective protection to at least one of a packet, a bearer, and the access point name (APN).

9. The network as in claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to control the transceiver for receiving an indication for indicating a terminal capability corresponding to the selective protection from the terminal, and determine the terminal supports the selective protection mechanism if the indication is received from the terminal.

10. The network as in claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to apply the selective protection to the at least one bearer and to provide an indication indicating whether the bearer is secured or unsecured with other network node,

wherein the at least one bearer is associated with at least one of a quality of service QoS class identifier (QCI), a secured or a non-secured indication, and an Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP).

11. The network as in claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to apply the selective protection to the at least one packet associated with the at least one bearer corresponding to a type of application running on the terminal,

wherein the selective protection is indicated in a reserved bit, and

wherein the reserved bit is set to one if the protection is enabled on the packet associated with the at least one bearer.

18. The network as in claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to apply the selective protection based on at least one of a packet size, an application protocol, and transport layer protocol.

20. The network as in claim 8, wherein bearer comprises an indication indicating whether the bearer is to be protected.

12. A terminal for selective protection of data, wherein the data is exchanged with a wireless network, terminal comprising:

a transceiver; and

a controller configured to;

control the transceiver for transmitting a message including an access point name (APN) to a network node;

apply the selective protection to the at least one packet associated with the at least one bearer to the network node if the terminal support a selection protection mechanism;

perform the selective protection for at least one packet associated with at least one bearer corresponding to the APN included in the received message is determined by the network node.

13. The terminal as in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control the transceiver for transmitting the message including the APN based on at least one comprises:

a type of application running on the terminal, a battery power availability of the terminal, a configuration of the terminal.

14. The terminal as in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control the transceiver for transmitting the message including the APN using at least one of an existing non-access stratum (NAS), an existing access stratum (AS) message, a new NAS message and a new AS message.

15. The terminal as in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control the transceiver for transmitting the message including the APN corresponding to the type of application running on the terminal.