DEVICES AND METHOD FOR MTC GROUP KEY MANAGEMENT

摘要

In order to improve security upon distributing a group key, there is provided a gateway (20) to a core network for a group of MTC devices (10_1-10_n) communicating with the core network. The gateway (20) protects confidentiality and integrity of a group key, and distributes the protected group key to each of the MTC devices (10_1-10_n). The protection is performed by using: a key (Kgr) that is preliminarily shared between the gateway (20) and each of the MTC devices (10_1-10_n), and that is used for the gateway (20) to authenticate each of the MTC devices (10_1-10_n) as a member of the group; or a key (K_iwf) that is shared between an MTC-IWF (50) and each of the MTC devices (10_1-10_n), and that is used to derive temporary keys for securely conducting individual communication between the MTC-IWF (50) and each of the MTC devices (10_1-10_n).

主权项

1. A communication system comprising:
a group of MTC (Machine-Type-Communication) devices that communicate with a core network; and a gateway to the core network for the group, the gateway distributing to each of the MTC devices a first key for securely conducting group communication, wherein upon distributing the first key, the gateway protects confidentiality and integrity of the first key by using: a second key that is preliminarily shared between the gateway and each of the MTC devices, and that is used for the gateway to authenticate each of the MTC devices as a member of the group; or a third key that is shared between an MTC-IWF (MTC Inter-Working Function) and each of the MTC devices, and that is used to derive temporary keys for securely conducting individual communication between the MTC-IWF and each of the MTC devices, the MTC-IWF serving as an entering point to the core network for an SCS (Service Capability Server) that communicates with the group through the core network.