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US 8,989,379 B2Granted
Network encryption key rotation
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsSrinivas Katar, Lawrence W. Yonge, Manjunath Krishnam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for authenticating key rotation communications. Key rotation communications can include a key counter known to both a headend device and a station. Comparison between a local key counter and the key counter included in the key rotation communication can be used to authenticate the key rotation communication.
Claims20
A method for key rotation by a headend device, the method comprising:
- providing an initial counter value to a station;
- incrementing the initial counter value at the headend device based on a non-linear function to produce a headend incremented counter value;
- and
- sending a key rotation communication from the headend device to the station, the key rotation communication comprising a new network encryption key and the headend incremented counter value, the key rotation communication to replace a previous network encryption key with the new network encryption key,
- wherein the headend incremented counter value authenticates the key rotation communication based, at least in part, on the headend incremented counter value matching a station incremented counter value that is derived from the initial counter value and the non-linear function.
2 more elements
A method for key rotation performed by a station, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the station, an initial counter value from a headend device;
- receiving, at the station, a key rotation communication comprising a new network key and a headend incremented counter value, wherein the headend incremented counter value is based on the initial counter value and a non-linear function at the headend device;
- locally incrementing, at the station, the initial counter value based on the non-linear function to produce a station incremented counter value;
- and
- authenticating the key rotation communication based, at least in part, on comparing the headend incremented counter value and the station incremented counter value.
2 more elements
A headend system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- memory storing instructions therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the headend system to:
- generate a new network key;
- provide an initial counter value to a station;
- increment a previous counter value based on a non-linear function to produce a headend incremented counter value;
- and
- transmit a key rotation communication including the new network key and the headend incremented counter value to the station,
- wherein the headend incremented counter value authenticates the key rotation communication based, at least in part, on the headend incremented counter value matching a station incremented counter value that is derived from the initial counter value and the non-linear function.
6 more elements
A station, comprising:
- an interface to receive a key rotation communication from a headend device;
- a processor;
- and
- memory storing instructions therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the station to:
- decrypt the key rotation communication to derive a new network key and a headend incremented counter value, wherein the headend incremented counter value has been incremented by the headend device based, at least in part, on a previous counter value and a non-linear function;
- independently increment the previous counter value based on the non-linear function to produce a station incremented counter value;
- and
- authenticate the key rotation communication based, at least in part, on a comparison between the headend incremented counter value and the station incremented counter value.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.