We address the problem of mobile network key management and authentication that negatively affects the handoff performance, adds overhead to the system in terms of key exchange signaling, authentication, and key distribution. We aim to improve the efficiency of the key management subsystem and to reduce investment pressure on core network elements. We address all these problems successfully. Our novel SKC key management mechanism is the best key management mechanism among the ones we found in reducing signaling load from the KD and making the mobility system independent of the AP-KD link delay. It is a significant contribution to the mobile network key management with fast handoffs when separate keys for APs are required and has many useful applications.
Our novel receiver and sender ID binding protocol with symmetric keys is new and shows analogy with Identity Based Cryptography. It is a generalization of the identity binding that SKC is using. Furthermore, our distributed AAA architecture with SKC, certificates, and hardware-based security is a disruptive proposal and show how the mobile network KD can be distributed to the edge nodes.
Our quantitative analysis and comparison of SKC and LTE key management is new and not seen before. Our research affected the LTE Security standardization and contributes to the research and development of home base stations, community and municipal Wi-Fi access points
