Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising a receiver configured to receive a message from a first security zone, distinct from the one where the apparatus is comprised in, and at least one processing core configured to determine whether to apply a recovery action to the message, the determination comprising a first verification, based on first criteria, to assess whether to apply the recovery action outright, and only in case the first verification does not result in the assessment to apply the recovery action outright, a second verification, based on second criteria, to generate a first weight and a third verification, based on third criteria, to generate a second weight, and to compare a sum of the first weight and the second weight to a predefined trigger to perform the determination.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product may be provided for signaling-based remote provisioning and updating of protection policy information in a SEPP of a visited network. A method may include obtaining, at a home network node (hSEPP), protection policy information from a local repository in a home network or via configuration. The hSEPP is a network node at a boundary of the home netowork, and the home network is a public land mobile network (hPLMN). The method includes distributing, via a signaling interface, the protection policy information to a visited network node (vSEPP) within a visited network (vPLMN). The vSEPP is a network node at a boundary of a second network. The protection policy information includes information regarding protection of signaling messages addressed for network functions (NFs) hosted in the hPLMN and is configured for enabling the vSEPP to selectively protect outgoing messages to hSEPP in the home network.

Abstract: Techniques for automated management of a service level agreement between a first communication network and a second communication network are provided. For example, one of the communication networks is a visited network while the other is a home network whereby the service level agreement is a roaming agreement. In one example, a message is received at a first communication network from a second communication network, wherein at least a portion of the message relates to the service level agreement between the first communication network and the second communication network. An automated verification of information in the message is performed at the first communication network to determine compliance with the service level agreement. The message receiving step is performed by a security edge protection proxy function of the first communication network and the automated verification performing step is performed by a service level agreement management function of the first communication network.

Abstract: A service request is received at a first service communication proxy element, wherein the service request is received from a service consumer and is a request to access at least one service of a service producer. The first service communication proxy element determines at least one target service producer based on the service request. The first service communication proxy element sends an access token request to an authorization entity, wherein the access token request is generated based on the determining step. The first service communication proxy element receives an access token response from the authorization entity, wherein the access token response comprises an access token. The first service communication proxy element may then send a service request with the access token to a second service communication proxy element, wherein the second service communication proxy element is associated with the target service producer. The method may apply to roaming and non-roaming scenarios.

Abstract: An authorization entity in a communication system comprising a service-based architecture receives a request from a service consumer in the communication system for access to a given service type. The authorization entity obtains an access token that identifies a plurality of service producers for the given service type and sends the access token to the service consumer.

Abstract: In a communication system comprising a first network operatively coupled to a second network, wherein the first network comprises a first security edge protection proxy element operatively coupled to a second security edge protection proxy element of the second network, one of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements initiates a mutual authentication procedure with the other of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements. The one of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements exchanges credentials with the other of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements, wherein a secure channel is established between the first and second security edge protection proxy elements upon verification of the credentials.

Abstract: In a communication system comprising a first network operatively coupled to a second network, wherein the first network comprises a first security edge protection proxy element operatively coupled to a second security edge protection proxy element of the second network, and wherein one of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements is a sending security edge protection proxy element and the other of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements is a receiving security edge protection proxy element, the receiving security edge protection proxy element receives a message from the sending security edge protection proxy element. The receiving security edge protection proxy element detects one or more error conditions associated with the received message. The receiving security edge protection proxy element determines one or more error handling actions to be taken in response to the one or more detected error conditions.

Abstract: In a communication system wherein a first security edge protection proxy (SEPP) element of a first network is operatively coupled to a second SEPP element of a second network, a method includes receiving, at the first SEPP element, a first message from a first network function in the first network addressed to a second network function in the second network, the first message comprising one of a request and a response line comprising a uniform resource identifier (URI) having a plurality of elements. The method also includes forming, at the first SEPP, a second message comprising encrypted and integrity protected portions, the encrypted portion comprising an encryption of at least a subset of the plurality of elements of the URI, the integrity protected portion comprising a structured representation of the URI wherein instances of elements in the subset are replaced with references to the encrypted portion.

Abstract: A request is received at an authorization entity for access to a service producer by a service consumer. The request comprises a public key of the service consumer. The authorization entity generates an access token with the public key of the service consumer bound thereto. The authorization entity sends the access token to the service consumer. The service consumer digitally signs the access token using a private key that corresponds to the public key bound to the access token to form a digital signature. The service consumer sends the access token with the public key bound thereto and the digital signature to the service producer. The service producer validates the access token, obtains the public key from the access token, and verifies the digital signature using the obtained public key of the service consumer. The service consumer is authorized when the access token is successfully validated and the digital signature is successfully verified.

Abstract: In one example, a method initiates establishment of a secure tunnel by a security proxy element (e.g., SEPP) in a first communication network (e.g., VPLMN) with an internetwork exchange element (e.g., IPX node) which is operatively coupled between the first communication network and a second communication network (e.g., HPLMN). Upon establishment of the secure tunnel, the method sends a message from the security proxy element to the internetwork exchange element over the secure tunnel. The secure tunnel can be a VPN tunnel and can be established using TLS or IPsec. In one example, the internetwork exchange node functions as an HTTP proxy, and in another embodiment as an interception (e.g., MITM) proxy. In another example, HTTPS is used to establish a separate TLS connection for each HTTP message. In yet another example, the security proxy element is configured to select (and change as needed) the secure communication mechanism.

Abstract: In a communication system comprising a first network operatively coupled to a second network, wherein the first network comprises a first security edge protection proxy element operatively coupled to a second security edge protection proxy element of the second network; the method comprises configuring at least a given one of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements to apply application layer security to one or more information elements in a received message from a network function before sending the message to the other one of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus comprising means for: receiving, from a requesting service and/or from a network function, an indication of security credentials for a selected service agent; and transmitting the security credentials to the selected service

Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, comprising: receiving a first message from a service-consuming second network entity in a second mobile network for a service-providing first network entity in a first mobile network, the first message comprising a first callback resource identifier, generating a second callback resource identifier on the basis of the first callback resource identifier, wherein the second callback resource identifier comprises a domain name of a security edge node in the first network, and transferring a callback message from the first network entity to the security edge node, the callback message comprising the second callback resource identifier.

Abstract: In given user equipment seeking access to a first communication network (e.g., 5G network), wherein the given user equipment comprises a subscriber identity module (e.g., USIM) configured for a second communication network, and wherein the second communication network is a legacy network with respect to the first communication network (e.g., legacy 4G network), a method includes: initiating an authentication procedure with at least one network entity of the first communication network and selecting an authentication method to be used during the authentication procedure; and participating in the authentication procedure with the at least one network entity using the selected authentication method and, upon successful authentication, the given user equipment obtaining a set of keys to enable the given user equipment to access the first communication network.

Abstract: Security management techniques for service authorization for communication systems are provided. In one or more methods, a first element or function in a home network of a communication system registers a second element or function in the home network as a service consumer of one or more services provided by at least a third element or function in the home network, receives a request from the second element or function, and provides an access token to the second element or function responsive to authenticating the second element or function, the access token being used by the second element or function to access the one or more services provided by the third element or function.

Abstract: At given user equipment in a communication system, a unified subscription identifier data structure is constructed. The unified subscription identifier data structure includes a plurality of fields that specify information for a selected one of two or more subscription identifier types and selectable parameters associated with the selected subscription identifier type, and wherein the information in the unified subscription identifier data structure is useable by the given user equipment to access one or more networks associated with the communication system based on an authentication scenario corresponding to the selected subscription identifier type. For example, during different authentication scenarios, the given user equipment utilizes the unified subscription identifier data structure to provide the appropriate subscription identifier (e.g., SUPI, SUCI or IMSI) and associated parameters for the given authentication scenario.

Abstract: A sending security edge proxy SEPP receives a first message sent by a first network function to a second network function. The first message has a plurality of first message parts including: a request line or a response line; at least one header; and payload. Second message parts are formed from the features and optional sub-features of the first message parts. A security structure defines a required security measure individually for each second message part. The SEPP applies, according to the security structure definition, to each second message part by encrypting; integrity protecting; or modification tracking with integrity protecting; and forms a second message that contains the second message parts; and sends the second message towards the second network function. Corresponding methods, structures, computer programs and a system are disclosed for intermediate nodes and receiving SEPP.

Abstract: In a communication system comprising a first network operatively coupled to a second network, wherein the first network comprises a first security edge protection proxy element operatively coupled to a second security edge protection proxy element of the second network; the method comprises constructing a message at a network function in the first network destined for the second network, wherein the message comprises at least one information element and an indicator, wherein the indicator is set to specify at least one security operation to be applied to the at least one information element before sending the message to the second security edge protection proxy element of the second network.

Abstract: In a communication system comprising a first network operatively coupled to a second network, wherein the first network comprises a first security edge protection proxy element operatively coupled to a second security edge protection proxy element of the second network, a method comprises provisioning at least a given one of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements with configuration information that enables the given security edge protection proxy element to identify at least one security operation to be applied to at least one information element in a received message before sending the message to the other one of the first and second security edge protection proxy elements.

Abstract: A short message service (SMS) message is encrypted using an encryption key stored at a user equipment and an access and mobility management function (AMF) and the encrypted SMS message is added to a payload of a non-access stratum (NAS) message that includes an NAS header. Integrity protection is applied to the NAS message using an integrity key stored at the user equipment and the AMF and the integrity-protected NAS message is transmitted. The NAS message is received via an NAS link between the user equipment and the AMF. An integrity check is performed on the NAS message using the integrity key. An encrypted short message service (SMS) message is extracted from a payload of the NAS message in response to the integrity check being successful and the encrypted SMS message is decrypted using the encryption key.