Patent ID: 8417218
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of authentication in a communications network, said communications network comprising a network authentication server, a local authentication entity and a user terminal, said local authentication entity comprising a subscriber application and an authentication application, said method comprising: (i) sending a request from the local authentication entity to the network authentication server over a first communications channel to authenticate the user terminal, said request comprising the identity of the user terminal; (ii) generating by the network authentication entity an authentication key in response to the request and generating by the subscriber application an identical authentication key; (iii) sending the authentication key generated by the network authentication server securely over a second communications channel to the user terminal identified by said identity, wherein said second communications channel does not pass through the local authentication entity, then storing the authentication key at the user terminal; (iv) sending the authentication key generated by the subscriber application securely to the authentication application, then storing the authentication key at the authentication application; and (v) authenticating the user terminal by verifying the authentication key stored at the user terminal with the authentication key stored at the authentication application.