METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING BROADCAST CHANNEL ENCRYPTION TO ENHANCE CELLULAR NETWORK SECURITY

• US 20180007548A1
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: JOVER, ROGER PIQUERAS
• Granted Patent: US 10,368,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 including jamming detection and monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/25 based on characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against surveillance H04K3/827, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/827 using characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against jamming H04K3/25, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud

Abstract

A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for encrypting a broadcast message of a base station are disclosed. For example, the method selects an encryption key for the broadcast message and encrypts the broadcast message using the encryption key to create an encrypted broadcast message. The method then transmits an identifier of the encryption key and transmits the encrypted broadcast message over a broadcast channel. A method for decrypting a broadcast message that is encrypted is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for encrypting a broadcast message of a base station, the method comprising:

selecting, by the processor, an encryption key for the broadcast message;

encrypting, by the processor, the broadcast message using the encryption key to create an encrypted broadcast message;

transmitting, by the processor, an identifier of the encryption key; and

transmitting, by the processor, the encrypted broadcast message over a control channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a processor of the base station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the base station comprises one of:

a NodeB or an eNodeB.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier of the encryption key is transmitted unencrypted.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier of the encryption key is transmitted over the control channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control channel comprises a long term evolution control channel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast message comprises a master information block.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast message comprises a system information block.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the control channel comprises a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access physical resource blocks.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning the control channel to a resource block, wherein the broadcast message includes information identifying that the control channel has been assigned to the resource block.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption key comprises a spreading sequence.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the encrypting the broadcast message using the encryption key to create an encrypted broadcast message comprises spreading the broadcast message over a frequency band using the encryption key.

13. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for encrypting a broadcast message of a base station, the operations comprising:

selecting an encryption key for the broadcast message;

encrypting the broadcast message using the encryption key to create an encrypted broadcast message;

transmitting an identifier of the encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted broadcast message over a control channel.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the processor comprises a processor of the base station.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the control channel comprises a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access physical resource blocks.

16. A method for decrypting a broadcast message that is encrypted, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of an endpoint device, an identifier of an encryption key for the broadcast message;

receiving, by the processor, the broadcast message that is encrypted, wherein the broadcast message is encrypted with the encryption key, wherein the broadcast message that is encrypted is received over a control channel from a base station;

retrieving, by the processor, the encryption key using the identifier of the encryption key;

decrypting, by the processor, the broadcast message that is encrypted using the encryption key.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the broadcast message includes a resource block assignment of the control channel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

retrieving the resource block assignment of the control channel from the broadcast message; and

accessing control information via the control channel.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the endpoint device stores a plurality of encryption keys, wherein the encryption key for the broadcast message is selected from one of the plurality of encryption keys.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of encryption keys is not accessible from a user space of the endpoint device.