CRYPTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES FOR A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

摘要

Techniques are described for enabling authentication (602) and/or key agreement (620) between communications network stations and service networks. The techniques described include negotiation and use of a cryptographic primitive (608) shared between a service network and a home environment of a station. The techniques described also feature a key usage indicator, such as a sequence number, maintained by the service network and a station. Comparison of the key usage indicators can, for example, permit efficient authentication of the service network.