Methods supporting authentication in wireless communication networks and related network nodes and wireless terminals

A node (SEAF) of a wireless communication network, the node comprising:

• a network interface adapted to provide communication with other nodes of the wireless communication network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the network interface, wherein the processor is configured to transmit and/or receive communications through the network interface, and wherein the processor is configured to cause the node to perform a method comprising:
• receiving, from a core network mobility management node (CN-MMN), a key request message comprising an indication that the wireless terminal supports an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) Re-authentication Protocol (ERP);
• obtaining a first authentication key (rMSK);
• deriving a second authentication key (new-K-cn-mm) based on the first authentication key, wherein the second authentication key is associated with the wireless terminal;
• and
• after deriving the second authentication key, transmitting to the CN-MMN a key response message that is responsive to the key request message, wherein the key response message comprises the second authentication key (new K-cn-mm) and an Extensible Authentication Protocol Finish/Re-authentication (EAP-Finish/Re-auth) message, wherein the CN-MMN is configured to:
• receive from the key response message comprising the EAP-Finish/Re-auth message;
• and
• after receiving the key response message comprising the EAP-Finish/Re-auth message, transmit to the wireless terminal a security mode command (SMC) message comprising the EAP-Finish/Re-auth message that was included in the key response message.