A fast iterative localized re-authentication protocol for UMTS-WLAN heterogeneous mobile communication networks

Lin Shen-Ho, Chiu Jung-Hui, Shen, Shen Sung-Shiou

Description

UMTS-WLAN heterogeneous mobile networks allow a single mobile user with different radio technologies to access different mobile networks, but how to secure such interworking networks and provide a seamless service is a new challenge. Even if EAP-AKA protocol provides authentication services in UMTS-WLAN interworking networks, a fast re-authentication of EAP-AKA protocol still cannot overcome high re-authentication delays and delay-sensitive applications. Because a mobile user is authenticated by a remote RADIUS or a HLR/HSS both resided in 3G-UMTS home networks whatever a full authentication or a fast re-authentication is occurred. It causes that huge re-authentication session loads and cryptographic operation loads concentrated on the RADIUS and the HLR/HSS. In addition, such an inefficient authentication/re-authentication protocol also causes long authentication/re-authentication latency. Therefore, this article proposes a novel protocol named fast iterative localized re-authentication (FIL re-authentication) to replace the fast re-authentication of EAP-AKA protocol. The proposed protocol not only has minor modifications to attain the same security level as EAP-AKA, but it uses both localized re-authentication process and iterative process within the AP to handle the fast re-authentication locally and iteratively for speeding up the re-authentication. Additionally, the IEEE 802.11 WLAN simulation mode based on Network Simulator 2 is used for proving a valid implementation and for analyzing the performance of the proposed protocol. It shows superior results in comparison to the existing EAP-AKA protocol.

Sujets

• Authentication
• EAP-AKA
• Radius
• Access Point

Informations

• Publié par: biomed
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 12
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Linet al.EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking2011,2011:124 http://jwcn.eurasipjournals.com/content/2011/1/124

R E S E A R C HOpen Access A fast iterative localized reauthentication protocol for UMTSWLAN heterogeneous mobile communication networks 1* 12 ShenHo Lin, JungHui Chiuand SungShiou Shen

Abstract UMTSWLAN heterogeneous mobile networks allow a single mobile user with different radio technologies to access different mobile networks, but how to secure such interworking networks and provide a seamless service is a new challenge. Even if EAPAKA protocol provides authentication services in UMTSWLAN interworking networks, a fast reauthentication of EAPAKA protocol still cannot overcome high reauthentication delays and delay sensitive applications. Because a mobile user is authenticated by a remote RADIUS or a HLR/HSS both resided in 3GUMTS home networks whatever a full authentication or a fast reauthentication is occurred. It causes that huge reauthentication session loads and cryptographic operation loads concentrated on the RADIUS and the HLR/HSS. In addition, such an inefficient authentication/reauthentication protocol also causes long authentication/re authentication latency. Therefore, this article proposes a novel protocol named fast iterative localized re authentication (FIL reauthentication) to replace the fast reauthentication of EAPAKA protocol. The proposed protocol not only has minor modifications to attain the same security level as EAPAKA, but it uses both localized reauthentication process and iterative process within the AP to handle the fast reauthentication locally and iteratively for speeding up the reauthentication. Additionally, the IEEE 802.11 WLAN simulation mode based on Network Simulator 2 is used for proving a valid implementation and for analyzing the performance of the proposed protocol. It shows superior results in comparison to the existing EAPAKA protocol. Keywords:authentication, 3G/UMTSWLAN, EAPAKA, HLR/HSS, RADIUS, access point

1. Introduction Currently, the demands for broadband wireless access to IP services between different wireless and mobile com munication networks are increased rapidly. IP backbone constituted a core network for heterogeneous mobile communication networks become the major goal in the next generation wireless and mobile communication networks. The heterogeneous mobile communication network aims to provide seamless services for the mobile user (MS) roaming across different mobile com munication networks. In various types of heterogeneous mobile networks, 3G/UMTSWLAN is one of main representatives today. The general architecture of 3G/ UMTSWLAN heterogeneous mobile networks is

* Correspondence: [e-mail] 1 Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, No. 259, Wunhua 1st Rd., Gueishan Township, Taoyuan County 333, Taiwan, ROC Full list of author information is available at the end of the article

depicted in Figure 1 [16]. As a result of different radio access technologies, 3G/UMTS wireless cellular systems provide high mobility with wide area coverage, but with a low data transmission rate. On the other hand, WLAN mobile communication systems offer high data rates with low mobility over smaller areas. Because the heterogeneous mobile communication network requires a high reliability for access authentica tion, mobility managements, seamless handovers and quality of service guarantee, access authentication espe cially. Thus, the integration and interoperability issues of different authentication protocols become new chal lenges [213]. In 3G/UMTSWLAN heterogeneous mobile networks, 3GPP adopts the EAPAKA protocol proposed by Internet engineering task force (IETF) to provide security and authentication services [14]. It pro vides a‘challengeresponse’mutual authentication based on AKAbased security mechanism between the Home

© 2011 Lin et al; licensee Springer. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.