Techniques for securing PDCP control PDU

A method for wireless communication, comprising:

• establishing a connection between the access network entity and a user equipment (UE);
• generating a radio resource control (RRC) message, the RRC message including a security information (IE) and a security parameter, the security IE indicating a security algorithm to use with a security configuration associated with a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) control protocol data unit (PDU);
• and
• transmitting the RRC message to the UE, wherein the security parameter is configured to secure the PDCP control PDU, wherein the security parameter comprises a counter associated with the connection, wherein the counter increments based at least in part on a change in a communication link associated with the connection or based at least in part on a change in source transmission and reception point (TRP), wherein the TRP comprises a source TRP associated with a second communication link;
• executing a handover procedure of the UE between the source TRP and a target TRP associated with the first communication link;
• and
• transmitting a handover request to the target TRP based at least in part on executing the handover procedure.

A method for wireless communication, comprising:

• establishing a connection between an access network entity and a user equipment (UE);
• identifying a first communication link associated with the connection;
• receiving in a radio resource control (RRC) message a security information element (IE) and a security parameter associated with a second communication link that is associated with the connection, wherein the security parameter comprises a counter associated with the connection, wherein the counter increments based at least in part on a change in a communication link associated with the connection or based at least in part on a change in source transmission and reception point (TRP), wherein the TRP comprises a source TRP associated with the second communication link;
• executing a handover procedure of the UE between the source TRP and a target TRP associated with the first communication link;
• transmitting a handover request to the target TRP based at least in part on executing the handover procedure;
• and
• securing a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) control protocol data unit (PDU) associated with the first communication link based at least in part on the security parameter, the security IE indicating a security algorithm to use with a security configuration associated with the PDCP control PDU.

An apparatus for wireless communication, in a system comprising:

• a processor;
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to:
• establish a connection with an access network entity;
• generate a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) control protocol data unit (PDU) based at least in part on the connection;
• obtaining a security information element (IE) in a radio resource control (RRC) message from the access network entity;
• and
• determine the security configuration associated with the PDCP control PDU based at least in part on the security IE in the RRC message, the security IE indicating a security algorithm to use with the security configuration, wherein the security configuration includes a security parameter comprising a counter associated with the connection, wherein the counter increments based at least in part on a change in a communication link associated with the connection or based at least in part on a change in source transmission and reception point (TRP), wherein the TRP comprises a source TRP associated with a second communication link;
• execute a handover procedure of the UE between the source TRP and a target TRP associated with the first communication link;
• and
• transmit a handover request to the target TRP based at least in part on executing the handover procedure;
• and
• secure the PDCP control PDU based at least in part on the security configuration.