Method and Apparatus for Securing a Connection in a Communications Network

• A method of securing a session between a Network Application Function, NAF, and a User Equipment, UE, connected to a network. The NAF is assigned a NAF identifier, NAF_id, using the Generic Bootstrapping Architecture, GBA, or a similar architecture and a shared secret is established between the UE and the NAF (S7.1). An application request containing a bootstrapping transaction identifier is sent to the NAF from the UE (S7.2) and an authentication request comprising the bootstrapping transaction identifier, the NAF_id, and information derived from the shared secret is sent to a Bootstrapping Server Function, BSF, from the NAF (S7.4). The BSF and the UE determine a NAF key, Ks_NAF, by using a modified parameter in place of or in addition to an original parameter in a key derivation function, the modified parameter being derived from the shared secret and the original parameter of the key derivation function (S7.5). This NAF key is transmitted from the BSF to the NAF (S7.6) and used to secure communications between the NAF and the UE (S7.7). Also provided are apparatus to act as a NAF, UE, and BSF in the method above.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Data- och informationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Computer and Information Sciences (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

pop (subject category)

pat (subject category)