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, from a first base station, a counter for a second 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; and
applying the second security key to the second communication link with the second base station.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first security key is applied to a first communication link with the first base station, and
wherein the second security key is different from the first security key.
3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the counter is received through a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first base station, a new counter in a case that the second base station is newly added; and
generating a new second security key for the newly added second base station based on the new counter.
5. A user equipment (UE) communicating in a communication system, the UE comprising:
a transceiver; and
a controller configured to:
receive, from a first base station, a counter for a second base station;
generate a second security key for a second communication link with the second base station based on a first security key and the counter; and
apply the second security key to the second communication link with the second base station.
6. The UE of claim 5 ,
wherein the first security key is applied to a first communication link with the first base station, and
wherein the second security key is different from the first security key.
7. The UE of claim 5 ,
wherein the counter is received through a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message.
8. The UE of claim 5 , wherein the controller further configured to:
receive, from the first base station, a new counter in a case that the second base station is newly added; and
generate a new second security key for the newly added second base station based on the new counter.