Blockchain-integrated authentication mechanisms for fifth generation communication networks
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorAbhijeet Kolekar
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Abstract
Various embodiments herein provide techniques related to registering a user equipment (UE) with a wireless network based on a blockchain identity (BI) of the UE. In embodiments, the BI, or a derived key thereof, may be used to sign a cryptographic challenge provided by the network, wherein the challenge is based on the BI. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
Claims20
An apparatus for use in a user equipment (UE), wherein the apparatus comprises:
- memory to store information related to a blockchain identity (BI) of the UE;
- and
- one or more processors configured to:
- encode, for transmission to a first network function of a wireless network, a registration request, wherein the registration request includes an indication of a blockchain identity (BI) of the UE;
- identify, from a second network function of the wireless network based on the registration request, an indication of a cryptographic challenge related to a permanent subscription key of the UE;
- sign the cryptographic challenge with a private key of the UE that is based on the BI of the UE to generate a signed cryptographic challenge;
- encode, for transmission to a function of the blockchain, an indication of the signed cryptographic challenge;
- identify, based on the provision of the indication of the signed cryptographic challenge to the function of the blockchain, an indication of a session key related to the wireless network;
- and
- encode, based on the session key and for transmission to the wireless network, one or more communications.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of an electronic device, are configured to cause an authentication function of a wireless network to:
- identify a request, from a user equipment (UE), for authentication to the wireless network, wherein the request includes an indication of a blockchain identity (BI) of the UE;
- generate, based on a public key of the UE that is related to the BI and a permanent subscription key of the UE, a cryptographic challenge and an expected response to the cryptographic challenge;
- transmit, to the UE, an indication of the cryptographic challenge;
- identify, based on the transmission of the indication of the cryptographic challenge, a received signed challenge that is a result of the UE signing the cryptographic challenge with a private key of the UE, wherein the private key is based on the BI of the UE;
- and
- transmit, to a network function of the wireless network if the signed challenge matches the expected response, an indication that the UE is authenticated to the wireless network.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of an electronic device, are to cause a user equipment (UE) to:
- transmit, to a first network function of a wireless network, a registration request, wherein the registration request includes an indication of a blockchain identity (BI) of the UE;
- identify, from a second network function of the wireless network based on the registration request, an indication of a cryptographic challenge related to a permanent subscription key of the UE;
- sign the cryptographic challenge with a private key of the UE that is based on the BI of the UE to generate a signed cryptographic challenge;
- provide an indication of the signed cryptographic challenge to a function of the blockchain;
- identify, based on the provision of the indication of the signed cryptographic challenge to the function of the blockchain, an indication of a session key related to the wireless network;
- and
- communicate with the wireless network based on the session key.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.