Method and devices for secure communications in a telecommunications network

1. A secure communications method for use in a telecommunications network, wherein a transaction between an entity A and an entity B of said network comprises the following steps:

a) the entity A sends an authorization request to an Authorization Server S, in which request the entity A identifies itself and authenticates itself as the holder of an identifier ID A ;

b) the entity A declares to the Authorization Server S its intention to communicate with a certain entity B; the Authorization Server S determines a secret key K SB that it shares with the entity B; and

c) the Authorization Server S generates a session key K AB,N and sends it to the entity A;

wherein said session key K AB,N is a one-way function of said secret key K SB and is also a function of an integer N allocated to said transaction, which integer is referred to as the transaction number, and further comprising the following steps:

d) the Authorization Server S also generates a transaction identifier IDTR N that is a function depending at least on said transaction number N in non-invertible manner;

e) the Authorization Server S causes elements to reach the entity B, which elements comprise at least said transaction identifier IDTR N ; and

f) the entity B verifies at least that the value of the transaction identifier IDTR N received during said step e) appears within a set of values precalculated by the entity B and corresponding to at least one predicted value for a transaction number; if so, the entity B deduces therefrom firstly the current value of the transaction number N and subsequently the value of the session key K AB,N .

2. The secure communications method according to claim 1 , wherein said authorization request comprises a request identifier IDREQ M that is a function depending in non-invertible manner at least on an integer M allocated to said authorization request, and referred to as the authorization number.

3. The secure communications method according to claim 2 , wherein, during said step c), the Authorization Server S also sends to the entity A an authorization identifier IDAUT M that is a function that depends in non-invertible manner at least on said authorization number M.

4. The secure communications method according to claim 1 , wherein all or some of said elements sent to the entity B during said step e) are integrity protected.

5. The secure communications method according to claim 4 , wherein said integrity protection is performed by means of said session key K AB,N or a key derived from said session key K AB,N .

6. The secure communications method according to claim 1 , wherein said elements that the Authorization Server S causes to reach the entity B during said step e) also comprise check data CHECK A,N depending on the transaction number N and deduced by means of a cryptographic function depending on a secret key K SB,check derived from said secret key K SB , from a set of elements taken from said authorization request, and optionally from the transaction number N.

7. The secure communications method according to claim 1 , wherein the entity A causes the entity B to receive said identifier ID A of the entity A or else an identifier ID′ A derived therefrom.

8. The secure communications method according to claim 6 , wherein:

said set of elements from which said data CHECK A,N is deduced comprise the identifier ID A of the entity A or a derived identifier ID′ A , which entity A causes entity B to receive; and

during said step f), the entity B uses said secret key K SB,check to verify consistency between firstly the data CHECK A,N received in accordance with claim 6 and secondly said set of elements comprising an identifier ID A or a derived identifier ID′ A .

9. A device referred to as an Authorization Server for securing communications in a telecommunications network during a transaction between an entity A and an entity B, the device comprising a processor for executing a computer program including instructions for:

identifying and authenticating an entity A holding an identifier ID A ;

determining a secret key K SB that said Authorization Server S shares with an entity B with which the entity A declares its intention to communicate; and

generating a session key K AB,N and sending it to the entity A;

wherein said session key K AB,N is a one-way function of said secret key K SB and is also a function of an integer N allocated to said transaction and referred to as the transaction number, and the device also comprises means for:

generating a transaction identifier IDTR N that is a function depending in non-invertible manner at least on said transaction number N so that values of IDTR N corresponding to predictable values for the transaction number N can be calculated and firstly the current value of the transaction number N and subsequently the value of the session key K AB,N can be deduced therefrom by the entity B; and

causing said transaction identifier IDTR N to reach said entity B.

10. A device referred to as an entity B for secure communications in a telecommunications network, the device comprising a processor for executing a computer program including instructions for use during a transaction involving said entity B and an entity A, to:

receive elements comprising a transaction identifier IDTR N generated by an Authorization Server S, said transaction identifier IDTR N being a function depending in non-invertible manner at least on an integer N allocated to said transaction and referred to as the transaction number;

verify that the value of the received transaction identifier IDTR N appears within a set of values precalculated by the entity B and corresponding to at least one predicted value for said transaction number;

deduce therefrom the current value N of the transaction number; and

deduce therefrom a session key K AB,N that is firstly a function of the transaction number N and secondly a one-way function of a secret key K SB shared by the entity B and said Authorization Server S.

11. A device, referred to as an entity A, for secure communications in a telecommunications network, the device comprising a processor for executing a computer program including instructions for use during a transaction involving said entity A and an entity B to:

identify itself and authenticate itself as the holder of an identifier ID A with an Authorization Server S;

declare to said Authorization Server S its intention to communicate with a certain entity B; and

receive from the Authorization Server S a session key K AB,N ;

the device being characterized in that said session key K AB,N is a one-way function of a secret key K SB shared by the Authorization Server S and the entity B and is also a function of an integer N allocated to said transaction and referred to as the transaction number, the device further comprising means for:

receiving from the Authorization Server S a transaction identifier IDTR N that is a function depending in non-invertible manner at least on said transaction number N so that values of IDTR N corresponding to predictable values for the transaction number N can be calculated and firstly the current value of the transaction number N and subsequently the value of the session key K AB,N can be deduced therefrom by the entity B; and

sending to the entity B elements comprising at least said transaction identifier IDTR N .

12. Non-transitory data storage that is non-removable, or partially or completely removable, including computer program code instructions for executing the steps of a secure communications method according to claim 1 .

13. A non-transitory computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a processor, the program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to claim 1 .