Secure identification of applications in communication network

1 . A user equipment comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, from a communication network, via a secure channel established between the user equipment and the communication network, a data item associated with an application program that is installed or being installed on the user equipment, wherein the data item comprises a secret;

storing the data item in association with an identifier of the application program;

receiving, from the communication network, a route selection rule for data traffic associated with the application program, the route selection rule comprising another data item, wherein the another data item comprises another secret; and

applying the route selection rule for data traffic associated with the application program when the secret matches the another secret; or

rejecting the route selection rule for data traffic associated with the application program when the secret does not match the another secret.

2 . The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the data item comprising the secret is generated by: (i) an application server associated with the application program; or (ii) a network entity of a communication network connecting the user equipment and the application server.

3 . The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the secret comprises a security token, wherein the security token is static or dynamic, and wherein the another secret comprises another security token that is static or dynamic.

4 . The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the secret comprises a trust-based value, and wherein the another secret comprises another trust-based value.

5 . The user equipment of claim 4 , wherein the trust-based value is useable to compute a security token or a one-time pad.

6 . A method comprising:

receiving, at user equipment from a communication network via a secure channel established between the user equipment and the communication network, a data item associated with an application program that is installed or being installed on the user equipment, wherein the data item comprises a secret;

storing, by the user equipment, the data item in association with an identifier of the application program; and

receiving, by the user equipment from the communication network, a route selection rule for data traffic associated with the application program, the route selection rule comprising another data item, the another data item comprising another secret; and

applying, by the user equipment, the route selection rule for data traffic associated with the application program when the secret matches the another secret; or

rejecting, by the user equipment, the route selection rule for data traffic associated with the application program when the secret does not match the another secret.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the data item comprising the secret is generated by: (i) an application server associated with the application program; or (ii) a network entity of a communication network connecting the user equipment and the application server.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the secret comprises a security token, wherein the security token is static or dynamic, and wherein the another secret comprises another security token that is static or dynamic.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the secret comprises a trust-based value, and wherein the another secret comprises another trust-based value.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the trust-based value is useable to compute a security token or a one-time pad.