Method and apparatus for using a bootstrapping protocol to secure communication between a terminal and cooperating servers

摘要

A method comprising the use of a bootstrapping protocol to define a security relationship between a first server and a second server, the first and second servers co-operating to provide a service to a user terminal. A bootstrapping protocol is used to generate a shared key for securing communication between the first server and the second server. The shared key is based on a context of the bootstrapping protocol, and the context is associated with a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) associated with the user terminal and provides a base for the shared key. A method of the invention may, for example, be employed within a computing/service network such as a “cloud”, and in particular for communications between two servers in the cloud that are co-operating to provide a service to a user.

主权项

1. A method in a first server operating as a first Network Application Function (NAF), said method comprising establishing a secure connection between the first server and a second server operating as a second NAF, said first and second servers cooperating to provide a service to a user terminal (UT), and said method comprising:
receiving a message from the second server, requesting establishment of a security relationship between the first server and the second server, the message including an indication of an identity of a context of a bootstrapping protocol that is associated with a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of the UT; sending a request to a bootstrapping server responsive to receiving the message from the second server, the request including an indication of the identity of the context of the bootstrapping protocol and requesting establishment of the security relationship between the first and second servers; and receiving, from the bootstrapping server, a shared key or information from which the shared key can be derived, said shared key for use in establishing the security relationship with the second server, for securing communication between the first and second server for cooperatively supporting the service to the UT, and said shared key based on the context of the bootstrapping protocol and, therefore, associated with the SIM of the UT.