A communication method comprising: receiving, by a target base station, a handover request from a source base station for handing over a terminal device, wherein the handover request comprises a first key and first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first key has been updated by the source base station and wherein the first key is an access layer key between the source base station and the terminal; and when the first indication information indicates that the first key is not an updated key, sending, by the target base station, second indication information to the source base station based on the handover request, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate whether an access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is an updated key; wherein the sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station based on reference information comprises: sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station when the reference information comprises a trust level of the target base station for the source base station, and the trust level is higher than a trust threshold, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is not an updated key; or sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station when the reference information comprises a trust level of the target base station for the source base station, and the trust level is lower than a trust threshold, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is an updated key. receiving, by a target base station, a handover request from a source base station for handing over a terminal device, wherein the handover request comprises a first key and first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first key has been updated by the source base station and wherein the first key is an access layer key between the source base station and the terminal; and when the first indication information indicates that the first key is not an updated key, sending, by the target base station, second indication information to the source base station based on the handover request, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate whether an access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is an updated key; wherein the sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station based on reference information comprises: sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station when the reference information comprises a trust level of the target base station for the source base station, and the trust level is higher than a trust threshold, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is not an updated key; or sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station when the reference information comprises a trust level of the target base station for the source base station, and the trust level is lower than a trust threshold, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is an updated key. sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station when the reference information comprises a trust level of the target base station for the source base station, and the trust level is higher than a trust threshold, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is not an updated key; or sending, by the target base station, the second indication information to the source base station when the reference information comprises a trust level of the target base station for the source base station, and the trust level is lower than a trust threshold, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the access layer key between the target base station and the terminal device is an updated key.