Flexible configuration and authentication of wireless devices
An apparatus and method for configuring a wireless station for use within a wireless local area network are disclosed. In at least one exemplary embodiment, a pairwise master key is generated by the wireless station and an access point within the wireless local area network. The pairwise master key may be based, at least in part, on a transient identity key pair of the wireless station. The transient identity key pair may be generated by the wireless station in response to receiving a message from the access point. In some embodiments, a public transient identity key of the transient identity key pair may be provided to additional access points to enable the wireless station to authenticate with the additional access points.
1. A method of configuring a client device for use with an access point (AP), the method comprising:
transmitting a discovery message;
receiving, at the AP, a dynamically generated first public key in response to the discovery message;
generating a first shared key based, at least in part, on a public key associated with the AP and the first public key;
generating a second shared key based, at least in part, on the first shared key; and
communicating with the client device using the first shared key and the second shared key.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the discovery message includes a public key associated with the AP.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first public key is a public transient identity key associated with the client device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from a wireless device, a second public key associated with the client device, wherein the wireless device is distinct from the client device.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein transmitting the discovery message is in response to receiving the second public key.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
transmitting the first public key to the wireless device.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
decrypting, at least in part, the first public key using the public key associated with the AP.
8. A first wireless device comprising:
a transceiver;
a processor;
and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the first wireless device to:
transmit a discovery message;
receive a dynamically generated first public key in response to the discovery message;
generate a first shared key based, at least in part, on a public key associated with the first wireless device and the first public key;
generate a second shared key based, at least in part, on the first shared key; and
communicate with a client device using the first shared key and the second shared key.
9. The first wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the discovery message includes a public key associated with the first wireless device.
10. The first wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the first public key is a public transient identity key associated with the client device.
11. The first wireless device of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to cause the first wireless device to:
receive from a second wireless device, a second public key associated with the client device, wherein the second wireless device is distinct from the client device.
12. The first wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the discovery message is transmitted in response to receiving the second public key.
13. The first wireless device of claim 11 , further comprising instructions to cause the first wireless device to:
transmit the first public key to the second wireless device.
14. The first wireless device of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to cause the first wireless device to:
decrypt, at least in part, the first public key using the public key associated with the first wireless device.
15. A first wireless device comprising:
means for transmitting a discovery message;
means for receiving a dynamically generated first public key in response to the discovery message;
means for generating a first shared key based, at least in part, on a public key associated with the first wireless device and the first public key;
means for generating a second shared key based, at least in part, on the first shared key; and
means for communicating with a client device using the first shared key and the second shared key.
16. The first wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the discovery message includes a public key associated with the first wireless device.
17. The first wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the first public key is a public transient identity key associated with the client device.
18. The first wireless device of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for receiving, from a second wireless device, a second public key associated with the client device, wherein the second wireless device is distinct from the client device.
19. The first wireless device of claim 18 , wherein the discovery message is transmitted in response to receiving the second public key.
20. The first wireless device of claim 18 , further comprising:
means for transmitting the first public key to the second wireless device.
21. The first wireless device of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for decrypting, at least in part, the first public key of the first wireless device.
22. A first wireless device comprising:
a transceiver;
a processor;
and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the first wireless device to:
transmit a discovery message;
receive a dynamically generated first public key in response to the discovery message;
generate a first shared key based, at least in part, on a public key associated with the first wireless device and the first public key;
receive, from a second wireless device, a second public key associated with a client device, wherein the second wireless device is distinct from a client device;
transmit the first public key to the second wireless device; and
communicate with the client device using the first shared key.
23. The first wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the discovery message includes a public key associated with the first wireless device.
24. The first wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the first public key is a public transient identity key associated with the client device.
25. The first wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the discovery message is transmitted in response to receiving the second public key.
26. The first wireless device of claim 22 , further comprising instructions to:
decrypt, at least in part, the first public key using the public key of the first wireless device.
27. The first wireless device of claim 22 , further comprising instructions to:
generate a second shared key based, at least in part, on the first shared key; and
communicate with the client device using the second shared key.