Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for communicating credential information within a network device authentication conversation

US7793336B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 9, 2007
Grant dateSep 7, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 2, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W84/12
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method is disclosed for communicating a security credential within a network device authentication conversation. An authenticator that is coupled to a supplicant through a network performs a first message conversation resulting in creating a security context that is known to the authenticator and the supplicant. A second message conversation is initiated. The second message conversation is cryptographically protected using the same security context. A security credential is provided to the supplicant in the second message conversation. The second message conversation and first message conversation are then concluded. Specific embodiments can bootstrap digital certificates, public/private key pairs, and other credentials to supplicants, in-band, within an EAP-SIM or EAP-AKA conversation and without initiating a new session or exchanging special-purpose keys to protect distribution of the credentials.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.