Security key generation and management method of PDCP distributed structure for supporting dual connectivity
The present disclosure relates to a pre-5 th -Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4 th -Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). A method for communicating by a user equipment with a macro cell base station and a small cell base station in a communication system is provided. The method comprises applying a first base station security key to a first communication link with the macro cell base station; generating a second base station security key to be used for a second communication link with the small cell base station based on the first base station security key; applying the second base station security key to the second communication link with the small cell base station; and communicating through at least one of the first communication link and the second communication link.
1. A method for communicating by a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message including a counter for a second base station from a first base station;
generating a second security key for a second communication link with the second base station based on a first security key and the counter, the first security key being applied to a first communication link with the first base station; and
applying the second security key to the second communication link with the second base station.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an encryption key; and
communicating data through the second communication link with the second base station,
wherein the encryption key is used for encrypting the data.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, before the communicating of the data, the method further comprises:
transmitting a RRC reconfiguration complete message to the first base station; and
performing a random access procedure with the second base station.
4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the RRC connection reconfiguration message including the counter is received when the second base station is newly added in the communication network, and
wherein the counter is a next hop chaining counter (NCC) for the second base station.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the generated second security key is a new security key for the newly added second base station.
6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the generating of the second security key further comprises increasing the counter, and
wherein the second security key is generated by applying the first security key and the counter to a key derivation function (KDF).
7. A user equipment (UE) communicating in a communication system, the UE comprising:
a transceiver; and
a controller configured to:
receive a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message including a counter for a second base station from a first base station;
generate a second security key for a second communication link with the second base station based on the first security key and the counter, the first security key being applied to a first communication link with the first base station; and
apply the second security key to the second communication link with the second base station.
8. The UE of claim 7 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to generate an encryption key,
wherein the transceiver is further configured to communicate data through the second communication link with the second base station under control of the controller, and
wherein the encryption key is used for encrypting the data.
9. The UE of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
transmit a RRC reconfiguration complete message to the first base station; and
perform a random access procedure with the second base station.
10. The UE of claim 7 ,
wherein the RRC connection reconfiguration message including the counter is received when the second base station is newly added in the communication network, and
wherein the counter is a next hop chaining counter (NCC) for the second base station.
11. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the generated second security key is a new security key for the newly added second base station.
12. The UE of claim 7 ,
wherein the controller configured to increase the counter, and
wherein the second security key is generated by applying the first security key and the counter to a key derivation function (KDF).
13. A method for communicating by a second base station in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a first base station, a second security key to be used for a second communication link with a user equipment (UE);
applying the second security key to the second communication link with the UE,
wherein the second security key is generated based on a counter and a first security key to be used for a first communication link with the first base station, and
wherein the counter is included in a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message.
14. A method of claim 13 , further comprising:
generating an encryption key; and
communicating data through the second communication link with the UE,
wherein the encryption key is used for encrypting the data.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein, before the communicating of the data, the method further comprises:
performing a random access procedure with the UE.
16. The method of claim 13 ,
wherein the RRC connection reconfiguration message including the counter is received when the second base station is newly added in the communication network, and
wherein the counter is a next hop chaining counter (NCC) for the second base station.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the generated second security key is a new security key for the newly added second base station.
18. A second base station communicating in a communication system, the second base station comprising:
a transceiver; and
a controller configured to:
receive, from a first base station, a second security key to be used for a second communication link with a user equipment (UE); and
apply the second security key to the second communication link with the UE;
wherein the second security key is generated based on a counter and a first security key to be used for a first communication link with the first base station, and
wherein the counter is included in a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message.
19. The second base station of claim 18 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to generate an encryption key,
wherein the transceiver is further configured to communicate data through the second communication link with the UE under control of the controller, and
wherein the encryption key is used for encrypting the data.
20. The second base station of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to:
perform a random access procedure with the UE.
21. The second base station of claim 18 ,
wherein the RRC connection reconfiguration message including the counter is received when the second base station is newly added in the communication network, and
wherein the counter is a next hop chaining counter (NCC) for the second base station.
22. The second base station of claim 21 , wherein the generated second security key is a new security key for the newly added second base station.