Internal

CN Security Optimization

ISSUE 1.0

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Chapter 1 GSM and UMTS Security

Chapter 2 Data configuration of Security
Chapter 3 KPI of security
Chapter 4 Authentication Optimization

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Concept
Why need authentication and
encryption in mobile network?

Definition
Definition

Authentication
Authentication -- Whenever
Whenever aa MS
MS requests
requests
access
access to
to aa network,
network, the
the network
network must
must
authenticate
authenticate the
the MS.
MS. Authentication
Authentication verifies
verifies
the
the identity
identity and
and validity
validity of
of the
the SIM
SIM card
card to
to the
the
network
network and
and ensures
ensures that
that the
the subscriber
subscriber is
is
authorized
authorized access
access to
to the
the network.
network.
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Encryption
Encryption -- In
In order
order to
to ensure
ensure the
the secrecy
secrecy
of
of subscriber
subscriber information
information (speech
(speech service
service or
or
non-speech
non-speech service),
service), the
the GSM/UMTS
GSM/UMTS
system
system specially
specially adopts
adopts an
an encryption
encryption
process
process when
when exchanging
exchanging information
information
between
between BTS/nodeB
BTS/nodeB and
and MS
MS

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Basic Authentication flow in GSM

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Detail Authentication flow in GSM

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Function of NEs during authentication in GSM network

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Encryption in GMS network

In order to ensure the secrecy of subscriber information (speech service or

non-speech service), the GSM system specially adopts an encryption process
when exchanging information between BTS and MS
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Function of NEs during encryption in GMS network

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Function of NEs during encryption in GMS network

AUC

HLR

MSC/VLR

BTS

MS

Store the
authentication
Key Ki of all
subscribers in
HLR
Generate
Store the
Temporarily
authentication
store the authentication
triplet
authentication triplets of all
according to A3
accessed
triplet, and
and A8
subscribers
deliver the
algorithms
authentication
triplet to VLR
RAN/Kc/SRESAUC upon VLRs
request

Store the key Ki , A3

and A8 algorithms

Ki

RAND

Algorithm
A8
Encryption mode
command

Encryption mode
complete

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SIM Card

Succeed in
decrypting
the
encryption
mode
complete
message

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Kc

TDMA frame
number

Algorithm A5
Encryption Mode is
Finished

Limitations considered in GSM security

Weak authentication and encryption algorithms (COMP128 has a

weakness allowing user impersonation; A5 can be broken to reveal the

cipher key)

Short key length (32 bits)

No data integrity (allows certain denial of service attacks)
No network authentication (false base station attack possible)
Limited encryption scope (Encryption terminated at the base station, in

clear on microwave links)

Insecure key transmission (Cipher keys and authentication parameters

are transmitted in clear between and within networks)

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Authentication flow in UMTS

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Detail Authentication flow in UMTS

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Function of NEs during authentication in UMTS network

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Function of NEs during authentication in UMTS network

128 bit secret key K is shared between the home
network and the mobile user

Home Network

Mobile station
RAND

Generate SQN
Generate RAND
SQN

RAND

AUTN

f5

SQN AK

AK

AMF

MAC

AMF
SQN
K

f1

MAC

f2

f3

f4

f5

f1

f2

f3

f4

XRES

CK

IK

AK

XMAC

RES

CK

IK

AUTN := SQN AK || AMF || MAC

AV := RAND || XRES || CK || IK || AUTN

Serving Network
AV

Verify MAC = XMAC

RAND, AUTH
RES

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Verify that SQN is in the correct range

Encryption

At the mobile station and RNC (radio network controller))

COUNT-C

DIRECTION

BEARER

CK

COUNT-C

LENGTH

f8

BEARER

CK

KEYSTREAM
BLOCK

PLAINTEXT
BLOCK

DIRECTION

f8

KEYSTREAM
BLOCK

CIPHERTEXT
BLOCK
Sender
UE or RNC

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LENGTH

PLAINTEXT
BLOCK
Receiver
RNC or UE

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UMTS security
Protection against active attacks on the radio interface
New integrity mechanism added to protect critical signaling information
on the radio interface
Enhanced authentication protocol provides mutual authentication and
freshness of cipher/integrity key towards the user
Compared with the 3G network, the 2G network lacks an authentication
flow from the MS to the network side
Enhanced encryption
Stronger algorithm, longer key
Encryption terminates in the radio network controller rather than the base
station
Core network security
Some protection of signaling between network nodes
Potential for secure global roaming
Adoption of 3GPP authentication by TIA TR-45 / 3GPP2

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You can understand more 2G and 3G security

method, authentication and encryption flow and
advantage of 3G compared with 2G security.

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Chapter 1 GSM and UMTS Security

Chapter 2 Data configuration of Security
Chapter 3 KPI of security
Chapter 4 Authentication Optimization

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SET MAPPARA
TMSI reallocation with cipher
This parameter specifies whether MSOFTX3000 needs to send the cipher mode
command to the BSC or RNC if the MSOFTX3000 reallocates the TMSI to a mobile
subscriber during the authentication of service access or location update
Authset numbers required
he parameter is valid only when MAP version of the MSOFTX3000 is MAP phase2+.
During the network authentication for the service access and location update of a
subscriber, if the MSOFTX3000 needs to send a Send Authentication Information
message to require the HLR/AuC to allocate authentication sets, the parameter
specifies the number of authentication sets that the MSOFTX3000 requires the
HLR/AuC to send once. Value range: 0-5.

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MOD VLRCFG
Authentication set reuse times:
It specifies the times that an authentication set stored in the memory of VLR is
reused. It is valid for 2G networks only. Value range: 0 - 255
To query the number of valid authentication sets for a subscriber, run DSP
USRINF .
Remained AV when parallel get AV:
It specifies whether the MSOFTX3000 must originate the parallel obtaining
authentication set operation during the process of the location update or service
access. Value range: 1 - 3

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MOD AUTHCFG
If a carrier requires the MSOFTX3000 to execute the authentication flow
according to a proportion for the requests of location update and service access
to improve the network security, run MOD AUTHCFG to modify authentication
configuration parameters. Currently, the MSOFTX3000 provides 17 authentication
options for the carrier

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SET MAPACCFG
2G Cipher
During the authentication of service access and location update of a mobile
subscriber, it specifies whether the MSOFTX3000 sends the Cipher mode command
to the BSC on the access network side, that is, whether the MSOFTX3000 requires
the access network to cipher radio channel (air interface)
Cipher algorithm
The parameter is valid when the MSOFTX3000 commands the access network to
cipher radio channel. It indicates a cipher algorithm contained in Cipher mode
command sent by the MSOFTX3000 to BSC or RNC on access network side

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MOD TIMER
MM_MTN_WAIT_INIT_AUTH
The timer determines the duration for the MM module to wait for an
Authentication_Response message in response to an Authentication_Request
message. The authentication procedure has been started by the network. The timer
T3260 is running.
MOD TIMER: MPID=138, TMRIDX=0, TMRSEQ=2, TMRVAL=5;
MM_MTN_WAIT_INIT_CIPH
After sending a security message including ciphering key(s) to a mobile station, MM
module starts this timer to limit the time before completing the procedure from the
mobile station.
MOD TIMER: MPID=138, TMRIDX=0, TMRSEQ=3, TMRVAL=5;

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Chapter 1 GSM and UMTS Security

Chapter 2 Data configuration of Security
Chapter 3 KPI of security
Chapter 4 Authentication Optimization

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Basic Information
Key performance indexes (KPIs)
The key performance indexes (KPIs) are used to reflect the quality of
service (QoS) of the network and the performance of the equipment on
the network.
The KPI system is formulated to help:
Understand the performance measurement system for communication

equipment.
Establish performance evaluation systems.
Optimize the services and equipment based on the performance

measurement results.

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KPI of Service Security

Authentication Success Rate

Service
Security

Encryption Success Rate

Reallocate TMSI Success Rate

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Signaling flow of unsuccessful authentication due to

network denial

Measurement
Point

Measurement Entity

P1
P2

AUTH Requests
Authentication
AUTH Failures due to Illegal SRES Authentication
TMSI-based AUTH Failures due to Authentication
Illegal SRES
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Measurement Unit Measurement Type

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MSC Basic Functions

MSC Basic Functions
MSC Basic Functions

Signaling flow of unsuccessful authentication

due to UE denial

Measurement
Point
P1
P2

Measurement Entity

Measurement Unit Measurement Type

AUTH Requests
Authentication
Negative AUTH Responses by Subscribers Authentication

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MSC Basic Functions

MSC Basic Functions

Signaling flow of unsuccessful authentication

due to No response

Measurement
Point
P1

Measurement Entity

Measurement Unit

Measurement Type

AUTH Requests

Authentication

MSC Basic Functions

P2

AUTH No Response

Authentication

MSC Basic Functions

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KPI formula

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Chapter 1 GSM and UMTS Security

Chapter 2 Data configuration of Security
Chapter 3 KPI of security
Chapter 4 Security Optimization

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Cipher tracing over A interface

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Cipher tracing over Iu interface

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Authentication tracing over A interface

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Authentication tracing over Iu interface

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Authentication tracing over E/G interface

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Authentication tracing over C/D interface

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KPI: MSC basic functions Authentication

AUTHSET Receipt from the HLR

AUTHSET of HLR rate
AUTHSET Requests to the HLR

Check interworking
between MSC and HLR,
impact on LU

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KPI: MSC basic functions Authentication

AUTHSET Receipt from the PVLR

AUTHSET of PVLR rate
AUTHSET Requests to the PVLR

Check interworking
between MSCs, impact
on Inter LU

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KPI: MSC basic functions Authentication

AUTH Success Times

AUTH Succ rate
AUTH Requests

Check interworking
between MSC and
BSC/RNC, impact
on service access

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KPI: MSC basic functions Authentication

Auth response
with MAC failure or
Synchronization
failure

inconsistent
Xres or
Sres causes

waits for an
auth response,
MSC timeout
occurs

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Receive clear
Req/Release
from BSC/RNC

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KPI: MSC basic functions Authentication

Example: analysis for MSC4 in VMS1

MSC-Date
MHAN04H10/06
MHAN04H11/06
MHAN04H12/06
MHAN04H13/06
MHAN04H14/06
MHAN04H15/06
MHAN04H16/06

Negative
AUTHSE AUTHSE AUTHSE AUTH
AUTH
AUTH
T
T
T
Failures No
Respons
AUTHSET Receipt Request Request due to Respons
AUTH
es by
Receipt
from the s to the s to the Illegal
e
AUTH
Success Subscrib
from the
PVLR(ti HLR(tim PVLR(ti SRES(ti Times(ti Request Times(ti ers(times
HLR(times) mes)
es)
mes)
mes)
mes)
s(times) mes)
)
800543 248545 821607 296181
1773
2 9154832 9060826
4695
805013 277637 826041 327553
1719
1 9408344 9308414
3630
801553 272677 823032 321587
2092
30 9225804 9121637
6729
784826 270703 804699 320443
1541
80 9144115 9044334
6548
771492 267792 788967 318373
1083
0 9090011 8990861
8994
768813 277986 786528 329834
1147
2 8953049 8854549
4749
754944 280504 772026 336440
1211
0 8812575 8713344
3705

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KPI: MSC basic functions Authentication

Example: analysis for MSC4 in VMS1

MSC-Date
MHAN04H10/06
MHAN04H11/06
MHAN04H12/06
MHAN04H13/06
MHAN04H14/06
MHAN04H15/06
MHAN04H16/06

Negative
AUTH
AUTH
Failures
Responses AUTH
AUTHSET
due to
by
Failures
AUTHSET of PVLR
AUTH Succ Illegal
Subscriber due to
of HLR rate rate
rate
SRES
s
Others
97.44%
83.92%
98.97%
0.02%
0.05%
0.96%
97.45%
84.76%
98.94%
0.02%
0.04%
1.01%
97.39%
84.79%
98.87%
0.02%
0.07%
1.03%
97.53%
84.48%
98.91%
0.02%
0.07%
1.00%
97.79%
84.11%
98.91%
0.01%
0.10%
0.98%
97.75%
84.28%
98.90%
0.01%
0.05%
1.03%
97.79%
83.37%
98.87%
0.01%
0.04%
1.07%

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KPI: MSC basic functions MSC Basic Services

Cipher
Based on MSC
Set Cipher Mode Success Times
Cipher Succ rate
Set Cipher Mode Times

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KPI: MSC basic functions Cipher-Mode Setting

Encryption Requested - LU
Based on LAC
Encryption Requested - Service
Encryption Succ rate
Encryption Successfully - LU

Encryption Successfully - Service

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Security based on Service access

1. Based on SMS

MSC Basic Services

Short Message Service

SMMO Failures due to AUTH

Failures
SMMO Failures due to CipherMode Setting Failures

% Auth or Encryption
is failure with SMS
2. Based on call
Authentication Failures
Total Traffic of the Office

GSM Subscriber Originated/T

Calls
Encryption Failures
UTRAN Subscriber Originated/T Authentication Failures
Calls
Encryption Failures

% Auth or Encryption
is failure with call
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Security Analysis
How to choose cipher algorithm on network?
Which network element decides to choose cipther
algorithm?

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Security optimization

1.
2.
3.
4.

Data configuration must be correct

Adjust timer for suitable
Sync security algorithm on whole network
Based on analysis can disable or enable authentication for
service access
5. Can provide failure cause of security on other network
elements.

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Case sharing and discussing

Case 1: Why activate cipher to impact on

authentication performance in VMS4/5/6?
(Happened in VMS4/5/6 2013)
Case 2: For 3G, MSC configures only UEA1. RNC
also configure both UEA0 and UEA1. SGSN only
configure UEA0.
What happens in this case? (Happened in VMS1
2011)

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