Method of authenticating a mobile network node in establishing a peer-to-peer secure context between a pair of communicating mobile network nodes

• US 20060087999A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Gustave, Christophe, Gariador, Frederic, Choyi, Vinod Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

Methods for authenticating peer mobile network nodes for establishing a secure peer-to-peer communications context in an ad-hoc network are presented. The methods include accessing wireless infrastructure network entities at low bandwidth and for a short time duration to obtain cryptographic information regarding a peer mobile network node for the purpose of establishing secure peer-to-peer communications therewith ad-hoc network. Having received cryptographic information regarding a peer mobile network node, the method further includes challenging the peer network node with a challenge phrase derived from the cryptographic information received, receiving a response, and establishing a secure communications context to the peer mobile network node based on the validity of the received response. Advantages are derived from addressing security threats encountered in provisioning ad-hoc networking, by leveraging wireless infrastructure network security architecture, exemplary deployed in UMTS/GSM infrastructure networks, enabling seamless mobile network node authentication through the existing UMTS and/or GSM authentication infrastructure, while pervasively communicating with peer mobile network nodes in an ad-hoc network.

Claims

1. A method of accessing authentication information regarding a peer mobile network node in support of establishing a secure peer-to-peer communications context via ad-hoc networking, the method comprising:

a. obtaining the mobile network node identification of the peer mobile network node;

b. authenticating with a wireless infrastructure serving network;

c. requesting information for authenticating the peer mobile network node based on the peer mobile network node identification obtained; and

d. receiving the authentication information.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein obtaining the mobile network node identification of the peer mobile network node, the method comprises one of receiving an invitation form the peer mobile network node to establish the secure peer-to-peer communications context therewith, receiving an advertisement of availability for the establishment of the secure peer-to-peer communications context therewith, and retrieving the mobile network node identification form a list of mobile network node identifiers.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein authenticating with a wireless infrastructure serving network, the method comprises authenticating with a serving network proxy.

4. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein the serving network proxy comprises one of a wireless communications network infrastructure element and a mobile network node caching authentication information for authenticating the peer mobile network node.

5. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein requesting cryptographic information regarding the peer mobile network node, the method comprises requesting cryptographic information from a home environment with which the peer mobile network node is associated with.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, further comprising validating the request for cryptographic information.

7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises cryptographic information.

8. A method of establishing a secure peer-to-peer communications context in an ad-hoc network between a pair of mobile network nodes comprising:

a. each mobile network node retrieving information for authenticating peer mobile network node;

b. the pair of mobile network nodes challenging each other based on the authentication information; and

c. responsive to a successful cross-authentication, establishing the secure peer-to-peer context between the wireless network nodes employing ad-hoc networking techniques.

9. The method claimed in claim 8, further comprising a prior step of authenticating with a wireless infrastructure service network for retrieval of authentication information regarding the peer mobile network node.

10. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein retrieving information for authenticating peer mobile network node, the method further comprises retrieving information for authenticating a plurality of peer mobile network nodes for establishing a corresponding plurality of secure peer-to-peer communication contexts with a plurality of peer mobile network nodes.

11. The method claimed in claim 8, wherein retrieving information for authenticating peer mobile network node, the method comprises retrieving one of an authentication triplet for a peer mobile network node adhering to the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) wireless communications protocol, and an authentication quintuplet for a peer mobile network node adhering to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) wireless communications protocol.

12. The method claimed in claim 8, wherein retrieving information for authenticating peer mobile network node, the method comprises retrieving information for authenticating peer mobile network node from one of a home environment associated with the peer mobile network node, and a mobile network node caching authentication information.

13. The method claimed in claim 8, wherein the authentication information includes cryptographic information, the method further comprising:

a. deriving at least one cipher key form authentication information regarding at least one of the mobile network nodes of the pair of mobile network nodes; and

b. encrypting content exchanged in respect of the secure peer-to-peer communications context using the at least one cipher key.

14. A mobile network node adhering to a first wireless communications protocol for connection to a peer mobile network node in an ad-hoc network, the mobile network node comprising:

a. peer mobile network node identifier retrieval means for obtaining the identification of a peer mobile network node for establishing a secure peer-to-peer communications session therewith;

b. authentication information retrieval means for retrieving authentication information regarding the peer mobile network node;

c. authentication means for authenticating the peer mobile network node; and

d. encryption means for encrypting content exchanged in an ad-hoc networking context with the peer mobile network node in provisioning the secure peer-to-peer communications context therebetween.

15. The mobile network node claimed in claim 14, wherein authentication information retrieval means is employed in retrieving authentication information regarding the peer mobile network node from another mobile network node caching authentication information.

16. The mobile network node claimed in claim 14, further comprising a second wireless communications protocol for connection to a wireless infrastructure serving network, authentication information retrieval means is employed in retrieving authentication information regarding the peer mobile network node from a home environment with which the peer mobile network node is registered with via the wireless infrastructure network.

17. The mobile network node claimed in claim 14, wherein the authentication information includes cryptographic information, the authentication information retrieval means retrieving cryptographic information regarding the peer mobile network, the mobile network node further comprising cipher key derivation means deriving at least one cipher key for encrypting content exchanged in the ad-hoc networking context with the peer mobile network node in provisioning the secure peer-to-peer communications context therebetween.

18. A mobile network node adhering to a wireless communications protocol for connection to a peer mobile network node in an ad-hoc network, the mobile network node comprising:

a. an authentication information cache for caching authentication information regarding a plurality of mobile network nodes; and

b. authentication information serving means for serving a pair of mobile network nodes of the plurality of mobile network nodes with authentication information for establishing at least one cross-authenticated secure peer-to-peer communications context between the pair of mobile network nodes.