Granted Patent B2

US 7,636,845 · App. 11/580,741 · Granted Dec 22, 2009

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A system for preventing IP (Internet Protocol) allocation to a cloned mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a mobile communication terminal to generate a first hash value obtained by hashing a user key inputted by a user and an ESN (Electronic Serial Number) with a hash function, and to transmit the first hash value to an HA (Home Agent) of a mobile communication system; and

the HA to register the first hash value transmitted from the mobile communication terminal, to compare a second hash value included in an IP registration request message (RRQ) with the registered first hash value to perform an IP registration request of the mobile communication terminal, and to perform an IP registration process if the compared values match,

wherein the mobile communication terminal includes a mobile communication terminal processing module, comprising:

a storage part to store a first variable having network access identification information, a second variable having a hash value, and a third variable set to ‘TRUE’ or ‘FALSE’ according to whether or not the hash value is registered;

an initialization part to set the first and second variables to ‘NULL’ and to set the third variable to ‘FALSE’ when the ESN is input;

a user key input part to provide UI (User Interface) to the user and to receive the user key from the user through the UI when the first and second variables are set to ‘NULL’;

a hash value generation part to generate the first hash value by hashing the user key inputted by the user key input part and the ESN with the hash function, and to set the first and second variables to the generated first hash value;

an IP registration request part to transmit the IP registration request message (RRQ) including the first and second variables to the HA; and

a hash value registration check part to store network access identification information, which is predetermined between the mobile communication terminal and the HA, in the first variable and to change the third variable to ‘TRUE’ when an IP registration reply message (RRP) transmitted from the HA is a message indicating ‘registration of hash value’.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the HA includes an HA processing module, comprising:

a storage part to store a fourth variable having the network access identification information and a fifth variable having a hash value;

a hash value inspection part to inspect the fifth variable when the IP registration request message is received from the mobile communication terminal;

a hash value registration part to set the first variable included in the IP registration request message to the fifth variable when the fifth variable is determined to be ‘NULL’ by the hash value inspection part and to transmit the IP registration reply message indicating ‘registration of hash value’ to the mobile communication terminal;

a cloned mobile communication terminal determination part to compare the first variable included in the IP registration request message and the fourth variable stored in the storage part with the second variable included in the IP registration request message and the fifth variable stored in the storage part, respectively, when the fifth variable is not determined to be ‘NULL’ by the hash value inspection part, and to determine the mobile communication terminal as normal if the compared variables match, or to determine the mobile communication terminal as cloned if the compared variables do not match; and

an IP registration processing part to perform the IP registration process for the mobile communication terminal if the mobile communication terminal is determined as normal, or to deny the IP registration process for the mobile communication terminal if the mobile communication terminal is determined as cloned.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the mobile communication terminal processing module further includes a hash value processing part to request a change of the first hash value at the hash value change request of the user when the third variable is determined to be ‘TRUE’ by providing UI (User Interface) to the user, to receive a registered user key from the user through the UI, to compare the inputted user key with the second variable, to set the first variable to the second variable if the user key and the second variable match, and to transmit the IP registration request message including the first and second variables to the HA of the mobile communication system.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the HA processing module further includes a hash value change part to change the fifth variable to ‘NULL’ when the first variable included in the IP registration request message received from the mobile communication terminal and the fifth variable match, and to transmit an IP registration reply message indicating ‘approval of change of hash value’ to the mobile communication terminal.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the hash value processing part further provides the UI to the user and receives a new user key from the user through the UI according to the IP registration reply message indicating ‘approval of change of hash value’ transmitted from the HA, generates a new first hash value by hashing the user key and the ESN with the hash function, sets the first and second variables to the generated new first hash value, and sets the third variable to ‘FALSE’.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the hash value processing part further transmits the IP registration request message including the first and second variables to the HA, and, if the IP registration reply message transmitted from the HA is the message indicating ‘registration of hash value’, stores the network access identification information, which is predetermined between the mobile communication terminal and the HA, in the first variable, and changes the third variable to ‘TRUE’.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein when the hash value change part receives the IP registration request message from the mobile communication terminal, the hash value change part further inspects the fifth variable, sets the first variable included in the IP registration request message to the fifth variable when the fifth variable is ‘NULL’, and transmits the IP registration reply message indicating ‘registration of hash value’ to the mobile communication terminal.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein input data processed by the hash function further includes a MIN (Mobile Identification Number).

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein input data processed by the hash function further includes a MON (Mobile Directory Number) for identifying the mobile communication terminal in a provider's network and a roaming partner's network.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hash function is HMAC-MD5 (Hashed Message Authentication Code with MD5).

Assignments (6)