Method of handling security configuration in wireless communications system and related communication device
A method of handling security configuration for a mobile device using a mapped security context in a wireless communication system includes utilizing the mapped security context to derive ciphering and integrity keys when security configuration, indicating a key update based on a cached security context, is received.
1. A method of handling security configuration for a mobile device in a wireless communication system during an intra-long term evolution (LTE) handover or a radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment procedure, after an inter-system handover from universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) to LTE, the method comprising:
utilizing a mapped security context generated in response to the inter-system handover to derive ciphering and integrity keys when security configuration is received via the intra-LTE handover or when a RRCConnectionReestablishment message is received during the RRC connection re-establishment procedure;
wherein the security configuration comprises a keyChangeIndicator information element set to a FALSE value and is included in a handover command for the intra-LTE handover.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing step comprises:
deriving a base-station-level key from the mapped intermediate key; and
using the base-station-level key to derive the ciphering and integrity keys.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ciphering and integrity keys comprise a radio resource control integrity protection key, a radio resource control encryption key, and a user plane encryption key.
4. A communication device of a wireless communication system for accurately handling security configuration during an intra-long term evolution (LTE) handover or a radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment procedure, after an inter-system handover from universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) to LTE, the communication device comprising:
a computer readable recording medium for storing mapped security context, cached security context, and program code corresponding to a process, wherein the mapped security context is generated in response to the inter-system handover; and
a processor coupled to the computer readable recording medium, for processing the program code to execute the process;
wherein the process comprises:
utilizing the mapped security context to derive ciphering and integrity keys when the mapped security context is in use and when security configuration is received via the intra-LTE handover or a RRCConnectionReestablishment message is received during the RRC connection re-establishment procedure;
wherein the security configuration comprises a keyChangeIndicator information element set to a FALSE value and is included in a handover command for the intra-LTE handover.
5. The communication device of claim 4 , wherein utilizing the mapped security context to derive the ciphering and integrity keys comprises:
deriving a base-station-level key from the mapped intermediate key; and
using the base-station-level key to derive the ciphering and integrity keys.
6. The communication device of claim 4 , wherein the ciphering and integrity keys comprise a radio resource control integrity protection key, a radio resource control encryption key, and a user plane encryption key.