Protection of a wireless communications device against unauthorized use

1. A method for protecting a wireless communications device against unauthorized use of functionality provided by the wireless communications device, the method comprising:

receiving a binding command to bind the wireless communications device to a subscription identification module operationally coupled to the wireless communications device and associated with a subscription to a communications service;

responsive to the received binding command, storing:

a module identifier (MID) identifying the subscription identification module; and

a device identifier (DID) identifying the wireless communications device;

obtaining an unbind code (UBC) and storing the obtained unbind code;

performing a module verification verifying that a subscription identification module identified by a stored module identifier is operationally coupled to the wireless communications device;

performing a device verification verifying whether a wireless communications device identified by a stored device identifier is operationally coupled to the subscription identification module; and

preventing operation of at least a part of the functionality unless the module verification and the device verification have been performed successfully;

wherein the module verification comprises:

setting up a secure communications channel between the wireless communications device and the subscription identification module, using a module digital certificate of the subscription identification module and a device digital certificate of the wireless communications device; and

verifying the module digital certificate.

2. The method of claim 1 :

wherein storing the module identifier comprises receiving the module identifier from the subscription identification module and storing the received module identifier; and

wherein storing the device identifier comprises receiving the device identifier from the wireless communications device and storing the received device identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the unbind code comprises generating the unbind code by the wireless communications device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the unbind code comprises sending the unbind code to a remote server for storage.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the wireless communications device communicating the unbind code to the subscription identification module.

6. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the module identifier is a digital certificate of the subscription identification module; and

wherein the device identifier is a digital certificate of the wireless communications device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

the wireless communications device creating a security key;

sending the created key to the subscription identification module; and

storing the security key by the wireless communications device and by the subscription identification module.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the module verification comprises:

sending a challenge data item by the wireless communications device to the subscription identification module;

receiving a response data item from the subscription identification module; and

comparing the received response data item with a data item calculated from the challenge data item and the security key.

9. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the module verification comprises receiving a second identifier identifying the subscription identification module from the subscription identification module, and comparing the received second identifier with the stored MID; and

wherein the device verification comprises receiving a third identifier identifying the wireless communications device by the subscription identification module, and comparing the received third identifier with the stored DID.

10. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the device verification comprises verifying the device digital certificate.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

the wireless communications device receiving an unbind command and an unbind code; and

responsive to the unbind command:

comparing the received unbind code to the stored unbind code; and

deactivating binding of the wireless communications device to the subscription identification module.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:

the wireless communications device receiving the binding command;

responsive to the received command:

storing the module identifier by the wireless communications device; and

storing the device identifier by the subscription identification module;

obtaining the unbind code and storing the obtained unbind code by the wireless communications device and by the subscription identification module;

performing the module verification by the wireless communications device;

performing the device verification by the subscription identification module; and

preventing operation of at least a part of the functionality unless the module verification and the device verification have been performed successfully.

13. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a processing circuit;

memory;

an interface for receiving commands;

a module interface for communicating data with a subscription identification module operationally coupled to the wireless communications device and associated with a subscription to a communications service;

wherein the memory has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processing circuit, cause the processing circuit to:

store, responsive to a binding command received by the wireless communications device via the interface, a module identifier on a storage device, the module identifier identifying the subscription identification module;

send a device identifier identifying the wireless communications device to the subscription identification module via the module interface and to cause the subscription identification module to store the device identifier;

store an unbind code in the memory;

send the unbind code to the subscription identification module via the module interface and to cause the subscription identification module to store the unbind code;

perform a module verification by:

setting up a secure communications channel between the wireless communications device and the subscription identification module, using a module digital certificate of the subscription identification module and a device digital certificate of the wireless communications device; and

verifying the module digital certificate,

the module verification verifying that a subscription identification module identified by a stored module identifier is operationally coupled to the wireless communications device;

cause the subscription identification module to perform a device verification, the device verification verifying whether the wireless communications device identified by the stored device identifier is operationally coupled to the subscription identification module;

prevent operation of at least a part of the functionality unless the module verification and the device verification have been performed successfully.

14. A subscription identification module associated with a subscription to a communications service, the subscription identification module comprising:

a processing circuit;

memory;

a device interface for communicating data with a wireless communications device operationally coupled to the subscription identification module;

wherein the memory has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processing circuit, cause the processing circuit to:

receive, via the device interface, a data item identifying the wireless communications device, and store the data item in the memory;

receive an unbind code via the device interface and store the unbind code in the memory;

perform a module verification by:

setting up a secure communications channel between the wireless communications device and the subscription identification module, using a module digital certificate of the subscription identification module and a device digital certificate of the wireless communications device; and

verifying the module digital certificate,

the module verification verifying whether a wireless communications device identified by a stored data item is operationally coupled to the subscription identification module; and

prevent operation of selected functionality of the subscription identification module unless the verification has been performed successfully.

15. A data processing system, comprising:

a processing circuit;

a memory;

an interface for communicating data with a wireless communications device;

wherein the memory has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processing circuit, cause the data processing system to:

receive, via the interface, a data item indicative of at least an unbind code for authorizing deactivation of a binding between the wireless communications device and a subscription identification module operationally coupled to the wireless communications device, wherein the subscription identification module is operationally coupled to the wireless communication device based on a module verification, the module verification comprises:

setting up a secure communications channel between the wireless communications device and the subscription identification module, using a module digital certificate of the subscription identification module and a device digital certificate of the wireless communications device; and

verifying the module digital certificate;

digitally sign the received data item; and

send, via the interface, the digitally signed data item to the wireless communications device.