METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE MUTUAL AUTHENTICATION OF COMPONENTS IN A NETWORK USING THE CHALLENGE-RESPONSE METHOD

摘要

The invention relates to a method for the mutual authentication of components in a network by means of the challenge-response method, according to which the network (N) requests a set of three data values (challenge 1/ response 1/ response 2) from an authentication centre (AUC) and transmits at least one set of data values (challenge 1) to the mobile station (M) which on the basis of an internally stored key (Ki) calculates a response 1 from this set of data values and transmit it to the network (N). To authenticate the network (N) in relation to the mobile station (M) the invention provides for the response 1 sent back to the network (N) to be interpreted simultaneously by said network (N) as challenge 2 and for said network (N) immediately to transmit a response 2 to the mobile station (M). This improves and accelerates data traffic between the mobile station and the network because there is no transmission of challenge 2 between the mobile station and the network. Data traffic between the network and the AUC is also improved because the data pairs challenge 2 and response 2 no longer have to be calculated separately in the AUC and transmitted to the network.