Abstract: Techniques for deriving message counts based at least in part on a locally stored message count and at least a portion of a message count received from a remote network node are disclosed. The message counts can relate to downlink (DL) non-access stratum (NAS) counts. In one aspect, a device can receive a number of least significant bits of the DL NAS count in a handover message. The device can derive a DL NAS count by utilizing a remaining portion of most significant bits of a locally stored DL NAS count, and can determine whether to increment or decrement the most significant bits based at least in part on a parameter to handle cases where the least significant bits of the locally stored DL NAS count have wrapped due to overflow and/or underflow.

Abstract: Techniques for deriving message counts based at least in part on a locally stored message count and at least a portion of a message count received from a remote network node are disclosed. The message counts can relate to downlink (DL) non-access stratum (NAS) counts. In one aspect, a device can receive a number of least significant bits of the DL NAS count in a handover message. The device can derive a DL NAS count by utilizing a remaining portion of most significant bits of a locally stored DL NAS count, and can determine whether to increment or decrement the most significant bits based at least in part on a parameter to handle cases where the least significant bits of the locally stored DL NAS count have wrapped due to overflow and/or underflow.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing latency and/or delays in performing a security activation exchange between a communication device and a network entity. The communication device may pre-compute a plurality of possible keys using a base key and a plurality of possible inputs in anticipation of receiving an indicator from the network entity that identifies a selected input to be used in generating a corresponding selected key. An indicator is then received from the network entity, where the indicator identifies the selected input from among the plurality of possible inputs. The communication device then selects a first key among the pre-computed plurality of possible keys as the selected key upon receipt of the indicator, wherein the first key is selected because it was pre-computed using the selected input. Because the first key is pre-computed, delays in responding to the network entity are reduced.