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EP-4740534-A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTINUED SUBSCRIBER AUTHENTICATION

EP4740534A1EP 4740534 A1EP4740534 A1EP 4740534A1EP-4740534-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for continued subscriber authentication. The disclosure encompasses: receiving, at a network server [201], a request for performing a subscriber authentication procedure from a user device [101]; determining, an availability or an unavailability of: 1) a quantum random number (QRN) in a QRN pool [210a], and 2) a pseudo random number (PRN) in a PRN pool [210b] based on the unavailability of the QRN; retrieving a PRN from the PRN pool [210b] upon the availability of the PRN in the PRN pool; generating a PRN using a PRNG module [212] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the PRN; and performing an authentication of the user device [101] based at least on a random number from one of the PRN retrieved from the PRN pool [210b] or the generated PRN.

Inventors

  • JHA, ADITYAKAR
  • BHATNAGAR, AAYUSH
  • REDDY, Boddireddy Ajith
  • KATHURIA, Deepak
  • CHAUHAN, Himanshu Singh
  • VERMA, NITIN
  • VASHISHTH, Yog

Assignees

  • Jio Platforms Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240611

Claims (12)

  1. 1. A method (300) for continued subscriber authentication, the method (300) comprising: - receiving, by a transceiver unit [202] at a network server [201], a request for performing a subscriber authentication procedure from a user device [101]; - determining, by a determination unit [204] at the network server [201], one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one quantum random number (QRN) in a QRN pool [210a] stored at a storage unit [210]; - determining, by the determination unit [204] at the network server [201], one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one pseudo random number (PRN) in a PRN pool [210b] stored at the storage unit [210] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one Q.RN in the QRN pool [210a]; - performing one of: o retrieving, by a coilection unit [206] at the network server [201], a PRN from among the at least one PRN from the PRN pool [210b] in an event of determination of the availability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b], and o generating, by the collection unit [206] at the network server [201], a PRN using a pseudo random number generator (PRNG) module [212] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b]; and - performing, by an authentication unit [208] at the network server [201], an authentication of the user device [101] based at least on a random number from one of the PRN retrieved from the PRN pool [210b], and the PRN generated by the PRNG module [212],
  2. 2. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network server [201] is one of a unified data management (UDM) server, a home subscriber server (HSS), and a home location register (HLR) server.
  3. 3. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein prior to the determining, by the determination unit [204], one of the availability and the unavailability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b], the method comprises: - generating, by a notification unit [214], a notification for display at a user interface, the notification indicating the determination of the unavailability of the at least one QRN in the QRN pool [210a].
  4. 4. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, the method comprises retrieving, by the collection unit [206], a QRN from the QRN pool [210a] in an event of determination of the availability of the at least one QRN in the QRN pool [210a].
  5. 5. The method (300) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the performing, by the authentication unit [208], the authentication of the user device [101] is further based on a random number retrieved from the QRN pool [210a],
  6. 6. A system [200] for continued subscriber authentication, the system [200] is in connection with a network server [201], the system [200] comprises: - a transceiver unit [202] configured to receive a request for performing a subscriber authentication procedure from a user device; - a determination unit [204] connected to at least the transceiver unit [202] and a storage unit [210], the determination unit [204] configured to: o determine one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one quantum random number (QRN) in a QRN pool [210a] stored at the storage unit [210]; o determine one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one pseudo random number (PRN) in a PRN pool [210b] stored at the storage unit [210] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one QRN in the QRN pool [210a]; - a collection unit [206] connected at least to the storage unit [210], the collection unit [206] configured to perform one of: o a retrieval of a PRN from among the at least one PRN from the PRN pool [210b] in an event of determination of the availability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b]; o a generation of a PRN using a pseudo random number generator (PRNG) module [212] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b]; and - an authentication unit [208] connected to at least the collection unit [206] and the storage unit [210], the authentication unit [208] configured to perform an authentication of the user device [101] based at least on a random number from one of the PRN retrieved from the PRN pool [210b], and the PRN generated by the PRNG module [212],
  7. 7. The system [200] as claimed in claim 6, wherein the network server [201] is one of a unified data management (UDM) server, a home subscriber server (HSS), and a home location register (HLR) server.
  8. 8. The system [200] as claimed in claim 6, the system [200] further comprises a notification unit [214], wherein prior to the determination of one of the availability and the unavailability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b] by the determination unit [204], the notification unit [214] is configured to: - generate a notification for display at a user interface, the notification indicating the determination of the unavailability of the at least one QRN in the QRN pool [210a].
  9. 9. The system [200] as claimed in claim 6 wherein the collection unit [206] is configured to retrieve a QRN from the QRN pool [210a] in an event of determination of the availability of the at least one QRN in the QRN pool [210a],
  10. 10. The system [200] as claimed in claim 9 wherein the authentication unit [208] is configured to perform the authentication of the user device [101] based on a random number retrieved from the Q.RN pool [210a],
  11. 11. A user device [101] for continued subscriber authentication, the user device [101] comprising: - a transceiver unit [101a] configured to: transmit, to a system [200] connected to a network server [201], a request for performing a subscriber authentication procedure, and receive, from the system [200], an indication of a performance of an authentication of the user device [101] based on the request for performing the subscriber authentication procedure, wherein said performance of the authentication is based on: receiving, by a transceiver unit [202] of the system [200] at the network server [201], the request for performing the subscriber authentication procedure from the user device, determining, by a determination unit [204] of the system [200] at the network server [201], one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one quantum random number (QRN) in a QRN pool [210a] stored at a storage unit [210], determining, by the determination unit [204] of the system [200] at the network server [201], one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one pseudo random number (PRN) in a PRN pool [210b] stored at the storage unit [210] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one QRN in the QRN pool [210a], performing one of: retrieving, by a collection unit [206] of the system [200] at the network server [201], a PRN from among the at least one PRN from the PRN pool [210b] in an event of determination of the availability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b], and generating, by the collection unit [206] at the network server [201], a PRN using a pseudo random number generator (PRNG) module [212] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b], and performing, by an authentication unit [208] of the system [200] at the network server [201], an authentication of the user device [101] based at least on a random number from one of the PRN retrieved from the PRN pool [210b], and the PRN generated by the PRNG module [212],
  12. 12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for continued subscriber authentication, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system [200], causes: - a transceiver unit [202] of the system [200] to receive, at a network server [201], a request for performing a subscriber authentication procedure from, a user device;- a determination unit [204] of the system [200] to determine, at the network server [201], one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one quantum random number (QRN) in a QRN pool [210a] stored at a storage unit [210]; - the determination unit [204] of the system [200] to determine, at the network sever [201], one of an availability and an unavailability of at least one pseudo random number (PRN) in a PRN pool [210b] stored at the storage unit [210] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one QRN in the QRN pool [210a]; - a collection unit [206] of the system [200] to perform one of: o a retrieval of a PRN from among the at least one PRN from the PRN pool [210b] in an event of determination of the availability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b]; o a generation of a PRN using a pseudo random number generator (PRNG) module [212] in an event of determination of the unavailability of the at least one PRN in the PRN pool [210b]; and - an authentication unit [208] of the system [200] to perform an authentication of the user device [101] based at least on a random number from one of the PRN retrieved from the PRN pool [210b], and the PRN generated by the PRNG module [212],

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTINUED SUBSCRIBER AUTHENTICATION FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE [0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of wireless communication systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for continued subscriber authentication. BACKGROUND [0002] The following description of related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art. [0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was based on analog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the advent of the second-generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. Third generation (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth-generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth-generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable of delivering more services to its users. [0004] When a user device that is connected to a wireless communication network is switched ON, or when any periodic authentication of a user device is performed by network servers of the wireless communication network such as a unified data management (UDM) server, a home subscriber server (HSS) or a home subscriber register (HLR) etc., authentication keys are generated at said network servers. These authentication keys may be based on any of the existing techniques, for example, the pseudo random number keys, quantum random numbers, etc. [0005] One prevailing challenge in the existing solutions is long standing faults in quantum random number generators (QRNGs) modules, wherein long standing faults (or as referred herein as long standing hardware faults) refer to hardware failures or issues (e.g., power outage, sensor and components failures, peripheral malfunctions, and memory errors etc.) that occur in various components of a physical device and that persist over an extended period without being immediately resolved. Also, a QRNG module is a module that generates a series of random numbers for subscriber authentication and stores them in a local buffer or pool (for e.g., a Quantum Random Number (QRN) pool). During long standing faults the QRNG module is offline for a long duration, the QRN pool (i.e., a pool of quantum random numbers generated by the QRNG module) gets exhausted and authentication service is no longer available by the network servers (e.g., the U DM, the HSS, or the HLR). This impacts subscriber services and leads to service outages, which is not desirable. [0006] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to provide methods and systems that provide continued subscriber authentication during long standing hardware faults, which the present disclosure aims to address. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION [0007] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below. [0008] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for continued subscriber authentication during long standing hardware faults, wherein long-standing hardware faults refer to hardware failures or issues (power outage, sensor and components failures, peripheral malfunctions, and memory errors etc.) that occur in various components of a physical device and that persist over an extended period without being immediately resolved. [0009] Another object of the present disclosure is to ensure an uninterrupted operation and a dynamic facility for subscriber services by providing a fall-back mechanism in an event of occurrence of unexpected resource constraints. [0010] Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide continued service availability by offering support of fall back to a Pseudo Random Number (PRN) pool during quantum random number generator (Q.RNG) device faults. SUMMARY [0011] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter. [0012] An