Service access authentication method and system

An operator access authentication system operative to authenticate subscriber devices for access to a service provided by a telecommunication network associated with the operator access authentication system, wherein the operator access authentication system is configured to:

• receive a request from a subscriber device for access to the service;
• detect that the subscriber device is associated with a private access authentication system that manages subscriber credentials for authenticating the subscriber device with respect to the service;
• initiate communications towards the private access authentication system and, in response, receive verification data and a subscriber authentication data item from the private access authentication system, said subscriber authentication data item associated with the subscriber credentials;
• and
• responsive to verifying from the verification data that the private access authentication system is operated in a trusted state, authenticate the subscriber device for access to the service according to the subscriber credentials.

A method of operation by a private access authentication system connected to an operator access authentication system, wherein the method comprises:

• maintaining subscriber credentials for authenticating a subscriber device with respect to accessing a service provided by a telecommunication network;
• receiving a request from the operator access authentication system, for authentication of the subscriber device with respect to accessing the service;
• responsive to the request, communicating verification data and a subscriber authentication data item to the operator access authentication system,
• said subscriber authentication data item associated with the subscriber credentials and enabling the operator access authentication system to authenticate the subscriber device for access to the service, and
• said verification data indicating a state in which the private access authentication system is operated and thereby enabling determination by the operator access authentication system as to whether said state is trustable by the operator access authentication system.

A private access authentication system configured to:

• maintain subscriber credentials for authenticating a subscriber device with respect to accessing a service provided by a telecommunication network;
• receive a request from an operator access authentication system associated with the telecommunication network, for authentication of the subscriber device with respect to accessing the service;
• responsive to the request, communicate verification data and a subscriber authentication data item to the operator access authentication system,
• said subscriber authentication data item associated with the subscriber credentials and enabling the operator access authentication system to authenticate the subscriber device for access to the service, and
• said verification data indicating a state in which the private access authentication system is operated and thereby enabling determination by the operator access authentication system whether said state is trustable by the operator access authentication system.

An access authentication system for controlling and granting access by a subscriber device to a telecommunication network, the access authentication system comprising an operator access authentication system associated with the telecommunication network and a private access authentication system associated with a subscriber of the telecommunication network:

• said operator access authentication system configured to:
• receive an access request from a subscriber device attempting to access the telecommunication network;
• responsive to detecting that the subscriber device is associated with a subscription that is managed by the private access authentication system, request authentication data for the subscriber device from the private access authentication system;
• and
• receive the authentication data in an authentication response returned from the private access authentication system;
• determine from verification data included in the authentication response as to whether or not the private access authentication system is operating in a trusted state;
• and
• conditioned upon verifying that the private access authentication system is operating in the trusted state, perform authentication of the subscriber device using the authentication data returned for the subscriber device in the authentication response;
• and
• said private access authentication system configured to:
• maintain subscription credentials for the subscriber device;
• respond to the request for authentication data from the operator access authentication system by generating the verification data in a manner that proves that the private access authentication system is operating in the trusted state, and including the verification data together with authentication data associated with the subscription credentials in the authentication response returned to the operator access authentication system.