Identification of a manipulated or defect base station during handover

A method performed by a core network node of a communication network for detection of a manipulated or defective status of a source base station in connection with a handover of a user equipment (UE) to a target base station, said method comprising:

• receiving and storing a Prioritized Algorithm List (PAL) from the network, said list listing algorithms allowed for use when communicating with said UE in order of priority;
• receiving and storing UE security capabilities (SCAP) from said UE;
• receiving, from said target base station, UE SCAP related information of said UE, said UE SCAP related information having been reported from the source base station to said target base station previously during said handover;
• and
• verifying the UE SCAP related information received from the target base station in order to detect a manipulated or defective status of the source base station by comparing at least part of said stored UE SCAP to the UE SCAP related information;
• wherein said PAL is a global PAL and is unique to said UE.

A target base station of a communication network-for detecting a manipulated or defective status of a source base station in connection with a handover of a user equipment (UE), said target base station comprising:

• receiving circuitry that is configured for receiving a prioritized algorithm list (PAL) from the network, said list listing algorithms allowed for use when communicating with said UE in order of priority and for receiving UE security capabilities (SCAP) related information from the source base station for the UE that is handed over between the two base stations;
• selecting circuitry that is configured for selecting at least one algorithm from the PAL having the highest priority according to the PAL out of the algorithms allowed for use when communicating with said UE in response to said UE SCAP related information and that is supported by said base station;
• and
• reporting circuitry that is configured for reporting, via a transmitting circuit, the received UE SCAP related information to a core network node that has knowledge of the UE SCAP of said UE and that is configured to use the reported UE SCAP related information to detect whether the source base station has a manipulated or defective status;
• wherein said PAL is a global PAL and is unique to said UE.

A core network node of a communication network that is configured to detect a manipulated or defective status of a source base station in connection with a handover of a user equipment (UE) to a target base station, said core network node comprising:

• receiving circuitry that is configured for receiving a Prioritized Algorithm List (PAL) from the network and storing said PAL, said list listing algorithms allowed for use when communicating with said UE in order of priority, for receiving UE security capabilities (SCAP) from said UE and for storing said UE SCAP;
• receiving circuitry that is configured for receiving UE SCAP related information of said UE from said target base station, said UE SCAP having been reported from the source base station to said target base station previously during said handover;
• and
• verifying circuitry that is configured for verifying the UE SCAP related information received from the target base station in order to detect whether the source base station has a manipulated or defective status by comparing at least part of said stored UE SCAP to the UE SCAP related information;
• wherein said PAL is a global PAL and is unique to said UE.