Patent ID: 8356171

Claim:
A system comprising: an authentication server that includes a processor and a memory and that is configured to perform an initial authentication of a mobile station, and to provide reauthentication information associated with the mobile station, wherein the initial authentication is performed using an A3/A8 algorithm routine, and wherein the reauthentication information comprises an authorization key, an encryption key, a master key, pseudo International Mobile Scriber Identity (IMSI) information, and an authorization counter, which is configured for identifying an upper limit of successive attempts by the mobile station to employ fast reauthentication within a predetermined time interval; and a security gateway that includes a processor and a memory and that is configured to provide an encrypted link with both the mobile station and the authentication server, wherein the security gateway is configured to cache and to use the reauthentication information previously received from the authentication server to perform a subsequent fast reauthentication of the mobile station in response to a request via an Internet protocol security (IPSec) tunnel, the fast reauthentication being performed by the security gateway without communicating with the authentication server, and without using the A3/A8 algorithm routine.