Access stratum security for efficient packet processing

A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• sending a radio resource control (RRC) connection reestablishment request message to a first cell node;
• obtaining an indication of a first key area identifier (ID) of the first cell node, wherein the first key area ID identifies a set of cell nodes that are associated with a network node that uses a key for enciphering or deciphering messages;
• obtaining the key associated with the first key area ID;
• receiving an RRC connection reestablishment message from the first cell node or another network node;
• and
• authenticating the RRC connection reestablishment message with the key associated with the first key area ID.

A method for wireless communications by a network node, comprising:

• receiving a radio resource control (RRC) connection reestablishment request message from a user equipment (UE) via a cell node;
• obtaining a key associated with a first key area identifier (ID) associated with the cell node, wherein the first key area ID identifies a set of cell nodes that are associated with the network node that uses a first key for enciphering or deciphering messages;
• and
• authenticating the RRC connection reestablishment request message with the key.