US 8,428,553 B2 · Method and apparatus for protecting a core network

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for protecting a core network (102) by receiving (202) a message (302, 402) containing a mobile identity of a MS (104) and dropping (210) the message (302, 402) whenever the received mobile identity does not match a stored mobile identity associated with the MS (104). The message (302, 402) is processed (208) whenever the received mobile identity matches the stored mobile identity associated with the MS (104). The mobile identity can be an IMSI, a TMSI or a P-TMSI. The message (302, 402) can be an uplink message (302) or a downlink message (402), such as a Mobility Management (MM) message, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Mobility Management (GMM) message, or a UMA or Unlicensed Radio Resources (URR) message. The present invention can be implemented as a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium wherein the various method steps are implemented by one or more code segments.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for protecting a core network the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message from a mobile station in an uplink direction, wherein
the message contains a mobile identity of the mobile station, and
the message is received at a network controller within an unlicensed mobile access network or a generic access network;
determining at the network controller whether the received mobile identity matches a stored mobile identity associated with the mobile station, wherein
the determining further comprises performing a layer violation by sneaking into upper layer messages sent by the mobile station towards the core network;
and
dropping the message at the network controller whenever the received mobile identity does not match the stored mobile identity.

4 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions, when executed by at least one processor, are configured for:

receiving a message from a mobile station in an uplink direction, wherein
the message contains a mobile identity of a mobile station, and
the message is received at a network controller within an unlicensed mobile access network or a generic access network;
determining at the network controller whether the received mobile identity matches a stored mobile identity associated with the mobile station, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor are further configured for
performing a layer violation by sneaking into upper layer messages sent by the mobile station towards the core network;
and
dropping the message at the network controller whenever the received mobile identity does not match the stored mobile identity.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for protecting a core network

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for protecting a core network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22