Security verification when resuming an RRC connection

1. A method, in a wireless device operating in a wireless network, for providing security of messages, the method comprising:

sending, while in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state, a message requesting resumption of an RRC connected state;

upon sending said message, starting a timer according to a predetermined value; and

while said timer is running, attempting decryption and integrity check handling for all packets received from the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein attempting decryption and integrity check handling comprises an RRC layer requesting decryption and integrity check handling from a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

while said timer is running, determining that decryption or integrity checking has failed for a packet; and

discarding the packet for which decryption or integrity checking has failed.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said determining is performed in a first protocol layer and the method further comprises the first protocol layer notifying a higher protocol layer of the failure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

while said timer is running, successfully decrypting and integrity checking a message indicating a resumption of the RRC connected state; and

responsive to said successfully decrypting and integrity checking a message, stopping the timer and entering the RRC connected state.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises, subsequently to entering the RRC connected state:

determining that a packet received while in the RRC connected state has failed integrity checking; and

responsive to the failed integrity checking, initiating a re-establishment of the RRC connected state.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the timer has expired and, in response to the timer expiring, discarding stored information regarding the RRC connection.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said determining that the timer has expired and said discarding the stored information is performed in a first protocol layer, and the method further comprises the first protocol layer notifying a higher protocol layer that resumption of the RRC connection failed.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

while said timer is running, determining that decryption or integrity checking has failed for a packet; and

responsive to determining that decryption or integrity checking has failed for the packet, discarding stored information regarding the RRC connection and notifying a higher protocol layer that resumption of the RRC connection failed.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a message indicating that resumption of the RRC connected state is rejected, wherein the message indicates that resumption of the RRC connected state is not encrypted or integrity protected; and

responsive to receiving said message, discarding stored information regarding the RRC connection.

11. A method, in one or more network nodes in or connected to a wireless network, for providing security of messages, the method comprising:

receiving, from a wireless device operating in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state, a message requesting resumption of an RRC connected state for the wireless device;

in response to said message, encrypting and integrity protecting one or more response messages;

sending the encrypted and integrity protected one or more response messages to the wireless device;

starting a timer with a predetermined value, in response to receiving the message requesting resumption of the RRC connected state for the wireless device; and

responsive to the timer expiring without receipt of a message from the wireless device verifying resumption of the RRC connected state, removing the RRC connection.

12. A wireless device configured for operating in a wireless network and for providing security of messages, the wireless device comprising:

transceiver circuitry; and

processing circuitry operatively associated with the transceiver circuitry and configured to:

send, while in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state, a message requesting resumption of an RRC connected state;

upon sending said message, start a timer according to a predetermined value; and

while said timer is running, attempt decryption and integrity check handling for all packets received from the wireless network.

13. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to attempt decryption and integrity check handling by having a RRC layer request decryption and integrity check handling from a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer.

14. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

while said timer is running, determine that decryption or integrity checking has failed for a packet; and

discard the packet for which decryption or integrity checking has failed.

15. The wireless device of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the determining in a first protocol layer and have the first protocol layer notify a higher protocol layer of the failure.

16. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

while said timer is running, successfully decrypt and integrity check a message indicating a resumption of the RRC connected state; and

responsive to said successfully decrypting and integrity checking a message, stop the timer and entering the RRC connected state.

17. The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, subsequently to entering the RRC connected state:

determine that a packet received while in the RRC connected state has failed integrity checking; and

responsive to the failed integrity checking, initiate a re-establishment of the RRC connected state.

18. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

determine that the timer has expired and, in response to the timer expiring, discard stored information regarding the RRC connection.

19. The wireless device of claim 18 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the timer has expired and discard the stored information in a first protocol layer, the first protocol layer notifying a higher protocol layer that resumption of the RRC connection failed.

20. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

while said timer is running, determine that decryption or integrity checking has failed for a packet; and

responsive to determining that decryption or integrity checking has failed for the packet, discard stored information regarding the RRC connection and notifying a higher protocol layer that resumption of the RRC connection failed.

21. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive a message indicating that resumption of the RRC connected state is rejected, wherein the message indicates that resumption of the RRC connected state is not encrypted or integrity protected; and

responsive to receiving said message, discard stored information regarding the RRC connection.

22. One or more network nodes in or connected to a wireless network, configured for providing security of messages, the one or more network nodes comprising:

communication circuitry; and

processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to:

receive, from a wireless device operating in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state, a message requesting resumption of an RRC connected state for the wireless device;

in response to said message, encrypt and integrity protect one or more response messages; and

send the encrypted and integrity protected one or more response messages to the wireless device;

start a timer with a predetermined value, in response to receiving the message requesting resumption of the RRC connected state for the wireless device; and

responsive to the timer expiring without receipt of a message from the wireless device verifying resumption of the RRC connected state, remove the RRC connection.