Security management for restricted local operator services in communication system

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

maintain a list of networks that support access for a set of restricted local operator services;

check whether a set of conditions for triggering access to the set of restricted local operator services is satisfied;

receive a request for access to the set of restricted local operator services;

initiate, upon satisfaction of the set of conditions, a search of the list of networks to find a network for access to the set of restricted local operator services;

send, upon selecting a network, an initial mobility management request to a mobility and security management node of the selected network to establish connection;

receive from the mobility and security management node a command request indicating a set of security algorithms selected by the network to be used for a security context;

send to the mobility and security management node in the selected network a confirmation that the selected set of security algorithms are used to establish the security context; and

receive from the mobility and security management node a notification indicating that the mobility management request has been accepted by the selected network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein no Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) card is available in the apparatus or a UICC card is available in the apparatus but no Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) application is available on the UICC card.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selected network is a fourth generation Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network and the selected set of security algorithms comprises EEA0, EIA0.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selected network is a fifth generation core network and the selected set of security algorithms comprises NEA0, NIA0.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the initial mobility management request is an attach request for accessing the set of restricted local operator services; and

the apparatus does not have a packet data network connection to the selected network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the initial mobility management request is a tracking area update request; and

the apparatus already has a packet data network connection to the selected network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the initial mobility management request is a service request; and

the apparatus already has a packet data network connection to the selected network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein upon notification that the mobility management request has been accepted by the selected network, the packet data network connection to the selected network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services is established.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the initial mobility management request is a registration request for accessing the set of local operator services; and

the apparatus does not have a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session to the selected network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the initial mobility management request is a registration request; and

the apparatus already has a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session to the selected network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the initial mobility management request is a service request; and

the apparatus already has a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session to the selected network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further configured with at least one of:

a list of allowed Mobile Country Codes (MCCs) representing country codes of the networks where the apparatus is allowed to request for access of the set of restricted local operator services; and

a list of networks representing preferred networks for the apparatus to request for access of the set of restricted local operator services.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein that apparatus comprises a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) card with a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) application.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the UICC card with the USIM application is further configured with:

a list of allowed Mobile Country Codes (MCCs) representing country codes of the networks where the apparatus is allowed to request for access of the set of restricted local operator services; and

a list of networks representing preferred networks for the apparatus to request for access of the set of restricted local operator services.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the set of conditions for triggering the request for accessing the set of restricted local operator services comprises one or more of:

a first condition wherein the apparatus is in a limited service state and a registration cannot be achieved on any network;

a second condition wherein the apparatus supports access to the set of restricted local operator services;

a third condition wherein the list of networks that support the set of restricted local operator services is not empty; and

a fourth condition wherein a list of allowed Mobile Country Codes (MCCs) is not configured or empty, or a list of allowed MCCs is configured and the MCC part of the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the apparatus is present in the allowed MCC list.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the set of conditions for triggering the request for accessing the set of restricted local operator services when the UICC containing the USIM application is not available on the apparatus comprises one or more of:

a first condition wherein the apparatus is in a limited service state and a registration cannot be achieved on any network;

a second condition wherein the apparatus supports access to the set of restricted local operator services; and

a third condition wherein the list of networks that support the set of restricted local operator services is not empty.

17. A method comprising:

maintaining a list of networks that support access for a set of restricted local operator services;

checking whether a set of conditions for triggering access to the set of restricted local operator services is satisfied;

receiving a request for access to the set of restricted local operator service;

initiating, upon satisfaction of the set of conditions, a search of the list of networks to find a qualified network for access to the set of restricted local operator services;

sending, upon selecting a network, an initial mobility management request to a mobility and security management node of the selected network to establish connection;

receiving from the mobility and security management node a command request indicating a set of security algorithms selected by the network to be used for a security context;

sending to the mobility and security management node in the selected network a confirmation that the selected set of security algorithms are used to establish the security context; and

receiving from the mobility and security management node a notification indicating that the mobility management request has been accepted by the selected network;

wherein the steps are performed by at least one processor.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied therein executable program code that when executed by the processor operatively coupled to the computer-readable storage medium cause the processor to:

maintain a list of networks that support access for a set of restricted local operator services;

check whether a set of conditions for triggering access to the set of restricted local operator services is satisfied;

receive a request for access to the set of restricted local operator service;

initiate, upon satisfaction of the set of conditions, a search of the list of networks to find a qualified network for access to the set of restricted local operator services;

send, upon selecting a network, an initial mobility management request to a mobility and security management node of the selected network to establish connection;

receive from the mobility and security management node a command request indicating a set of security algorithms selected by the network to be used for a security context;

send to the mobility and security management node in the selected network a confirmation that the selected set of security algorithms are used to establish the security context; and

receive from the mobility and security management node a notification indicating that the mobility management request has been accepted by the selected network.

19. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

support a set of restricted local operator services that can be accessed by unauthenticated user equipment;

receive an initial mobility management request from the unauthenticated user equipment;

send a command request to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating a set of security algorithms to be used for a security context;

receive from the unauthenticated user equipment a confirmation that the set of security algorithms are used to establish the security context; and

send a notification to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating that the mobility management request has been accepted.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is part of a mobility management entity of a fourth generation Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network and further wherein one or more of:

the initial mobility management request is an attach request for accessing the set of restricted local operator services;

the unauthenticated user equipment does not have a packet data network connection to the network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services;

the mobility management entity has no security context for the unauthenticated user equipment; and

the set of security algorithms comprises EEA0 and EIA0.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is part of a mobility management entity of a fourth generation Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network and further wherein one or more of:

the initial mobility management request is a tracking area update request;

the unauthenticated user equipment already has a packet data network connection to the network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services;

the apparatus has no security context for the unauthenticated user equipment; and

the set of security algorithms comprises EEA 0 and EIA0.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is part of a mobility management entity of a fourth generation Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network and further wherein one or more of:

the initial mobility management request is a service request;

the unauthenticated user equipment already has a packet data network connection to the network for accessing the set of restricted local operator services;

the apparatus has no security context for the unauthenticated user equipment; and

the set of security algorithms comprises EEA0 and EIA0.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the apparatus, upon receiving an initial mobility management request, is further configured to:

send an authentication request;

receive an authentication failure message from the unauthenticated user equipment;

send a command request to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating the set of security algorithms selected by the network to be used for the security context;

receive from the unauthenticated user equipment a confirmation that the set of security algorithms are used to establish the security context; and

send a notification to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating that the mobility management request has been accepted.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the selected network is a fifth generation core network and the selected set of security algorithms comprises NEA0 and NIA0.

25. A method comprising:

supporting a set of restricted local operator services that can be accessed by an unauthenticated user equipment;

receiving an initial mobility management request from the unauthenticated user equipment;

sending a command request to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating a set of security algorithms to be used for a security context;

receiving from the unauthenticated user equipment a confirmation that the set of security algorithms are used to establish the security context; and

sending a notification to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating that the mobility management request has been accepted;

wherein the steps are performed by at least one processor.

26. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied therein executable program code that when executed by the processor operatively coupled to the computer-readable storage medium cause the processor to:

support a set of restricted local operator services that can be accessed by an unauthenticated user equipment;

receive an initial mobility management request from the unauthenticated user equipment;

send a command request to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating a set of security algorithms to be used for a security context;

receive from the unauthenticated user equipment a confirmation that the set of security algorithms are used to establish the security context; and

send a notification to the unauthenticated user equipment indicating that the mobility management request has been accepted.

27. The method of claim 17 , wherein the selected network the selected network is a fourth generation Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network and the selected set of security algorithms comprises EEA0, EIA0.