US 8,275,403 B2Granted

Security in a mobile communication system

AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)

InventorsRolf Blom, Mats Näslund

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Abstract

When a mobile terminal (10), having a basic identity module (12) operative according to a first security standard, initiates a service access, the home network (30) determines whether the mobile terminal has an executable program (14) configured to interact with the basic identity module for emulating an identity module according to the second security standard. If it is concluded that the mobile terminal has such an executable program, a security algorithm is executed at the home network (30) to provide security data according to the second security standard. At least part of these security data are then transferred, transparently to a visited network (20), to the mobile terminal (10). On the mobile terminal side, the executable program (14) is executed for emulating an identity module according to the second security standard using at least part of the transferred security data as input. Preferably, the first security standard corresponds to a 2G standard, basically the GSM standard and the second security standard at least in part corresponds to a 3G standard such as the UMTS standard, and/or the IP Multimedia Sub-system (IMS) standard.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A security method in a mobile communications system including a home network providing support for a first basic security standard and a second improved security standard, said mobile communication system further serving at least one mobile terminal having an identity module operative according to said first basic security standard, the method comprising the steps of:

in response to said at least one mobile terminal initiating a service access, determining at said home network whether said at least one mobile terminal has an executable program configured to interact with said identity module of said at least one mobile terminal for emulating an emulated identity module according to said second improved security standard;
executing, provided that said at least one mobile terminal has said executable program, a security algorithm at said home network to provide security data according to said second improved security standard;
transferring, transparently to a visited network, at least part of said security data of said second improved security standard to said at least one mobile terminal;
executing, at said at least one mobile terminal, said executable program configured to interact with said identity module of said at least one mobile terminal for emulating said emulated identity module according to said second improved security standard, using at least part of said security data as input, to provide improved security for protected communication between said at least one mobile terminal and a network side.

1 more element

A security system in a mobile communications system having a home network providing support for a first basic security standard and a second improved security standard, said mobile communication system further serving at least one mobile terminal having an identity module operative according to said first basic security standard, said security system comprising:

a node in said home network, comprising:
a processor;
and
memory including computer program code configured to, with said processor, cause said node to perform at least the following:
determine, in response to said at least one mobile terminal initiating a service access, whether said at least one mobile terminal has an executable program configured to interact with said identity module of said at least one mobile terminal for emulating an emulated identity module according to said second improved security standard;
execute, provided that said at least one mobile terminal has said executable program, a security algorithm at said home network to provide security data according to said second improved security standard;
and
transfer, transparently to a visited network, at least part of said security data of said second improved security standard to said at least one mobile terminal;
and
said at least one mobile terminal, comprising:
a processor;
and
memory including computer program code configured to, with said processor, cause said node to perform at least the following:
execute said executable program configured to interact with said identity module of said at least one mobile terminal for emulating said emulated identity module according to said second improved security standard, using at least part of said security data as input, to provide improved security for protected communication between said at least one mobile terminal and a network side.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/838,056Filed 16 Jul 2010 · division
Priority: 17 Jun 2004
Published: US 2011/0022843 A127 Jan 2011
Granted: 25 Sep 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H04L 9/0838
Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for…:…
H04L 9/3273
Using challenge-response: for mutual authentication
H04L 63/0428
For providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks: wherein the data content is protected, e.g.…
H04L 63/0853
For authentication of entities: using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal

Family

Application60/583,133Us provisional application · filed 17 Jun 2004
Application11/570,186Parent of this division · filed 7 Dec 2006
US 2011/0022843 A1Pre-grant publication · published 27 Jan 2011
US 7,933,591 B2Parent of this division
US 2007/0157022 A1Published application
US 8,275,403 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.