摘要 |
A novel key management approach is provided for securing communication handoffs between an access terminal and two access points. As an access terminal moves from a current access point to a new access point, the access terminal sends a short handoff request to the new access point. The short handoff request may include the access terminal ID; it does not include the access point ID. The new access point may then send its identifier and the access terminal's identifier to the authenticator. Using a previously generated master transient key, the access point identifier and the access terminal identifier, an authenticator may generate a master session key. The master session key may then be sent to the access point by the authenticator. The access terminal independently generates the same new security key with which it can securely communicate with the new access point. |