System and method for enabling secure service-based communications via 5G proxies

A system, comprising:

• a first network device in a wireless core network, the first network device including a first processor;
• and
• a Network Repository Function (NRF) device, the NRF device including a second processor, wherein the first processor is configured to:
• store a NRF certificate for cryptographic exchanges;
• wherein the second processor is configured to:
• receive, from a NF consumer of the wireless core network, a service request,
• bind a digitally signed service request object to an authorization token, wherein the digitally signed service request object is based on a hash value of parameters in the service request,
• send, to the NF consumer, a preliminary service response with the authorization token and the digitally signed service request object,
• wherein the first processor is further configured to:
• receive the service request with the authorization token and the digitally signed service request object,
• ensure that the NF consumer is authorized to issue the service request by verifying the service request based on the NRF certificate, the authorization token, and the digitally signed service request object,
• generate, after the verifying, a service response that includes a digitally signed service response object, and
• send the service response to the second network device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor, the computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions for:

• storing, by a Network Function (NF) producer of a wireless core network, a Network Repository Function (NRF) certificate for cryptographic exchanges;
• receiving, by a NRF and from a NF consumer of the wireless core network, a service request;
• binding, by the NRF, a digitally signed service request object to an authorization token, wherein the digitally signed service request object is based on a hash value of parameters in the service request;
• sending, by the NRF to the NF consumer, a preliminary service response with the authorization token and the digitally signed service request object;
• receiving, by the NF producer, the service request with the authorization token and the digitally signed service request object;
• ensuring, by the NF producer, that the NF consumer is authorized to issue the service request by verifying the service request based on the NRF certificate, the authorization token, and the digitally signed service request object;
• generating, by the NF producer and after the verifying, a service response that includes a digitally signed service response object;
• and
• sending, by the NF producer, the service response to the NF consumer.