Method of lawful interception for UMTS

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9094471-B2
Application number	US-201213591898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2012
Priority date	Aug 22, 2012
Publication date	Jul 28, 2015
Grant date	Jul 28, 2015

Abstract

A method of providing, to a user equipment, first information for generating a cipher key used for encryption, and for providing, to an authorized intercept device, second information for generating the cipher key, the method including determining a generator function that, based on an input state value, outputs a next cipher key and a next state value, determining an initial state value for the generator function, providing, to the authorized intercept device, the generator function and the initial state value as the second information, generating the cipher key and a state value based on the function generator and the input state value, generating a pseudo-random value based on the cipher key, and transmitting, to the user equipment, the pseudo-random value as the first information, wherein the user equipment generates the cipher key based on the pseudo-random value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of providing, by a carrier authentication device to a user equipment, first information for generating a cipher key used for encryption, and for providing, by the carrier authentication device to an authorized intercept device, second information for generating the cipher key, wherein the authorized intercept device, the carrier authentication device, and the user equipment are distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network, the method comprising:
determining a generator function that, based only on an input state value, outputs a next cipher key and a next state value, the next cipher key and the next state value being different from each other;
determining an initial state value for the generator function;
providing, to the authorized intercept device, the generator function and the initial state value as the second information;
generating, by the carrier authentication device using the generator function, the cipher key and a state value based only on the input state value;
generating a first pseudo-random value based on the cipher key;
transmitting, to the user equipment only during a designated time period during which lawful interception is authorized, the first pseudo-random value as the first information, wherein the user equipment generates the cipher key based on the first pseudo-random value;
generating a second pseudo-random value based upon session confidentiality keys in a manner different than is used for generating the first pseudo-random value; and
transmitting, to the user equipment at times other than the designated time period during which lawful interception is authorized, the second pseudo-random value as the first information, wherein the user equipment generates the cipher key based on the second pseudo-random value.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, using the generator function, a new cipher key and a new state value based only on the state value;
generating a new pseudo-random value based on the new cipher key; and
transmitting, without providing further information to the authorized intercept device, the new pseudo-random value to the user equipment, wherein the user equipment generates the new cipher key based on the new pseudo-random value.

3. A carrier authentication device for providing, to a user equipment, first information for generating a cipher key used for encryption, and for providing, to an authorized intercept device, second information for generating the cipher key, wherein the authorized intercept device, the carrier authentication device, and the user equipment are distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network, the carrier authentication device comprising:
a processor configured to determine a generator function that, based only on an input state value, outputs a next cipher key and a next state value, and to determine an initial state value for the generator function, the next cipher key and the next state value being different from each other;
a cipher key generator configured to generate, using the generator function, the cipher key and a state value based only on the input state value;
a pseudo-random generator configured to generate a first pseudo-random value based on the cipher key;
a first communication device configured to transmit, to the user equipment only during a designated time period during which lawful interception is authorized, the first pseudo-random value as the first information, wherein the user equipment generates the cipher key based on the first pseudo-random value;
a second communication device configured to provide, to the authorized intercept device, the generator function and the initial state value as the second information;
the cipher key generator further configured to generate a second pseudo-random value based upon session confidentiality keys in a manner different than is used for generating the first pseudo-random value; and
the first communication device further configured to transmit, to the user equipment at times other than the designated time period during which lawful interception is authorized, the second pseudo-random value as the first information, wherein the user equipment generates the cipher key based on the second pseudo-random value.

4. A method of lawful surveillance of a user equipment by an authorized intercept device, the method comprising:
obtaining, from a carrier authentication device, a generator function that, based only on an input state value, outputs a next cipher key and a next state value, the next cipher key and the next state value being different from each other. wherein the authorized intercept device, the carrier authentication device, and the user equipment are distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network;
obtaining, from the carrier authentication device, an initial state value for the generator function;
obtaining an encrypted message transmitted from or sent to the user equipment;
generating, using the obtained generator function, a first cipher key and a first state value based only on the obtained initial state value;
decrypting the encrypted message into a first plaintext message using the first cipher key;
determining that the first plaintext message is readable; and
upon a determination that that the first plaintext message is not readable, repeating the following until a determination that a subsequent plaintext message is readable:
generating, using the generator function, a subsequent cipher key and a subsequent state value based only on the first cipher key;
decrypting the encrypted message into the subsequent plaintext message using the subsequent cipher key; and
determining that the subsequent plaintext message is readable.

5. An authorized intercept device for lawful surveillance of a user equipment, the authorized intercept device comprising:
a first communication device configured to obtain, from a carrier authentication device, a generator function that, based only on an input state value, outputs a next cipher key and a next state value, and to obtain an initial state value for the generator function, the next cipher key and the next state value being different from each other, wherein the authorized intercept device, the carrier authentication device, and the user equipment are distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network;
a second communication device configured to obtain an encrypted message transmitted from or sent to the user equipment;
a processor configured to:
determine, using the obtained generator function, a first cipher key and a first state value based only on the obtained initial state value,
decrypt the encrypted message into a first plaintext message, using the first cipher key;
determine that the first plaintext message is readable; and
upon a determination that that the first plaintext message is not readable, repeat the following until a determination that a subsequent plaintext message is readable:
generate, using the generator function, a subsequent cipher key and a subsequent state value based only on the first cipher key;
decrypt the encrypted message into the subsequent plaintext message using the subsequent cipher key; and

determine that the subsequent plaintext message is readable.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor of a carrier authentication device, causes the processor to perform a method of providing, to a user equipment, first information for generating a cipher key used for encryption, and for providing, to an authorized intercept device, second information for generating the cipher key, wherein the authorized intercept device, the carrier authentication device, and the user equipment are distinct devices communica

Assignees

• Campagna Matthew John
• Certicom Corp

Inventors

• Campagna Matthew John

Classifications

• H04L9/0894

  Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage · CPC title

• H04L63/306 Primary

  intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications · CPC title

• H04W12/04

  Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA] · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• H04W12/80

  Arrangements enabling lawful interception [LI] · CPC title