WO2016037701A1

WO2016037701A1 - Method and devices for testing a mobile terminal having a security element

Info

Publication number: WO2016037701A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/001818
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nils Nitsch; Ulrich Huber; Frank Körber; Tom Weber
Original assignee: Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh
Priority date: 2014-09-11
Filing date: 2015-09-09
Publication date: 2016-03-17
Also published as: DE102014013516A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for testing the functional capability of a mobile terminal having a security element in a mobile radio network, an accordingly designed security element, and an accordingly designed system. The method comprises the following steps: switching the security element of the mobile terminal from a normal operating mode to a test mode, wherein the security element of the mobile terminal is designed to authenticate itself to a test mobile radio network in the test mode; and checking the functional capability of the mobile terminal having the security element in the test mobile radio network.

Description

Method and apparatus for testing a mobile terminal with a security element Field of the invention

The invention relates to communication via mobile radio networks in general and in particular to methods and devices for checking the functionality of a mobile terminal with a security element for communication via a mobile radio network.

Background of the invention

Communicating by means of a mobile terminal, for example a mobile telephone, via a mobile radio network (also referred to as PLMN [Public Land Mobile Network]) operated by a network operator (also referred to as MNO [Mobile Network Operator]) usually requires the mobile terminal is equipped with a security element, for example in the form of a SIM card, for the secure reception of subscription authorization data ("subscription credentials"), which uniquely identifies and authenticates the user of the mobile terminal with respect to the mobile radio network. Such subscription authorization data, for example an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) and an authentication key Ki, are generally deposited in the secure environment of the manufacturer of the security element in the context of a so-called "personalization". In addition to the secure storage of subscription authorization data, another important task of a security element is usually to carry out cryptographic operations in the course of authentication of the security element to a mobile radio network. For this purpose, a security element generally comprises at least one processor for carrying out these cryptographic operations and at least one memory for storing data. While in the past the vast majority of SIM card security devices could be easily exchanged in a mobile device, for some time now more and more security devices have been installed in a mobile device. Such a security element permanently installed in a mobile terminal is known to the person skilled in the art in particular under the term "embedded SIM" or "embedded UICC (eUICC)".

In the manufacture of mobile terminals designed to receive an exchangeable SIM card, it is known to test the

Functionality of the mobile terminal to provide this with a test SIM card. In this case, by means of a device simulating a mobile radio network, a so-called network simulator, an "acceptance test" is carried out with which, on the one hand, it is checked whether the mobile terminal with the test SIM card is in the test simulated by the network simulator Mobile network can register, and on the other hand, whether the mobile terminal with the security element in processes works properly, as they will occur in the field later use of the mobile device.

Such a procedure is generally no longer possible with permanently installed or embedded security elements in mobile terminals, since different mobile network operators often use different authentication algorithms for authentication, which accordingly have to be stored on the security element. Therefore, a need exists for improved methods and apparatus for testing the operability of a mobile terminal with a fixed security element. This object is achieved by the present invention. Summary of the invention

The above object is solved according to the present invention by the respective subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for testing the operability of a mobile terminal with a security element in a mobile radio network, the method comprising the steps of: switching the security element of the mobile terminal from a normal operating mode to a test mode, wherein the security element of the mobile terminal in the test mode is configured to authenticate to a test mobile network; and verifying the operability of the mobile terminal with the security element in the test mobile network.

Preferably, after the step of checking the operability of the mobile terminal with the security element, the method comprises the further step of switching back the security element of the mobile terminal into the normal operating mode. Here, the "normal" operating mode of the security element is the mode in which the security element operates when deployed as part of the mobile terminal in the field.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, prior to the step of checking the operability of the mobile terminal with the security element, the method comprises the further step of performing a test authentication protocol between the security element ment and the test mobile network. The test authentication protocol is preferably designed in such a way that, from the perspective of the mobile terminal, there is no difference between the test authentication protocol between the security element in the test mode and the test mobile network and an authentication protocol carried out by the security element in its normal operating mode is to authenticate to a mobile network, ie, to subscribe to a mobile network.

Preferably, before the step of switching the security element of the mobile terminal from the normal operating mode to the test mode, the method comprises the further step of determining an identifier of the security element by the test mobile network, preferably a chip ID, an IMSI or the like.

Preferably, the identifier of the security element is determined with the aid of a hardware security module that is part of or in communication with the test mobile radio network. On the hardware security module, for example, a database can be implemented, from which the identifier can be taken.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the step of switching the security element of the mobile terminal from the normal operating mode to the test mode is triggered by the further step that the test mobile radio network sends at least one command for switching to the test mode to the security element. In this case, the command of the switching of the security element in the test mode can be cryptographically secured. Preferably, prior to the step of performing a test authentication protocol between the security element and the test mobile network, the method comprises the further step of transmitting authentication data from the test mobile network to the security element required to perform the test authentication protocol between the test Security element and the test mobile network are required. Preferably, authentication data includes the cryptographic keys or secrets required to perform the test authentication protocol between the security element and the test mobile network.

Preferably, before the step of transmitting the authentication data from the test mobile radio network to the security element, the method comprises the further step of determining the authentication data by the test mobile radio network, wherein the identifier of the security element is included in the determination of the authentication data.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the number of times the number of times the security element can be switched to the test mode is limited. For example, a counter can be maintained on the security element, indicating how often the security element has already been switched to the test mode. When this counter reaches a threshold, e.g. 5, the security element blocks against further switching to the test mode.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a security element for a mobile terminal is provided, wherein the security element is configured to be switched from a normal operating mode to a test mode, wherein the security element of the mobile terminal in Test mode is configured to authenticate against a test mobile network.

The security element is preferably a SIM, eUICC / UICC or M2M module.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for testing the operability of a mobile terminal having a security element in a mobile network, the security element being adapted to be switched from a normal operating mode to a test mode, the security element of the mobile terminal being in test mode is configured to authenticate to a test mobile network, and wherein the test mobile network is configured to check the operability of the mobile terminal with the security element in the test mobile network.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the preferred embodiments described above can be both within the scope of the first aspect of the invention, i. in the context of the method for testing the functionality of a mobile terminal with a security element in a mobile radio network, as well as in the context of the second aspect of the invention, i. in the context of such a security element, as well as in the context of the third aspect of the invention, i. in the context of the system for testing the operability of a mobile terminal with a security element in a mobile radio network, implement advantageous.

Further features, advantages and objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of several embodiments and embodiments. management alternatives. Reference is made to the drawings, in which: a schematic representation of a system for testing the functionality of a mobile terminal in the form of a telematics module of a car with a security element in the form of an eUICC, and

, FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a preferred flow of a method for testing the health of the mobile terminal of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the components of a preferred embodiment of a system 10 for testing the functionality of a mobile terminal 13 with a security element 14. The system 10 comprises, on the one hand, means for forming a test mobile radio network 20, for example a mobile radio network simulator. On the other hand, the system 10 comprises a mobile terminal 13 with a security element 14, wherein the system 10 is configured to be able to check the functionality of the mobile terminal 13 with the security element 14 by means of the test mobile radio network 20. For example, the test cellular network 20 may be a femto cell formed at the manufacturer of the mobile terminal 13. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal is in the form of a telematics module 13 of a motor vehicle and the security element in the form of an eUICC (embedded UICC) 14, which is an integral part of the telematics module 13. In addition to the security element 14, the telematics module 13 preferably has a GSM Module (not shown in Figure 1) that allows the telematics module 13 to communicate over a cellular network.

Although in the following detailed description reference will be made to a "mobile" terminal, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be advantageously implemented in conjunction with any type of terminal configured to communicate over a mobile or cellular communication network So also with terminals whose location practically does not change. In other words, the term "mobile" as used herein refers to the ability of the terminal to communicate over a mobile or cellular communication network. Thus, the mobile terminal may be a mobile phone, a smartphone, or other device configured to communicate over a cellular network, such as a tablet computer, a notebook, a TV system, a smart Watch, a smart meter, a set-top box, a vending machine, a security camera, a sensor device and the like. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the security element 14 is designed as an eUICC (embedded universal integrated circuit card), ie as a security element, which is an integral part of the telematics module 13 and in a mobile network for the unique and secure identification of the user or Participants and for the provision of different functions and value-added services. Alternatively, the security element 14 may be configured as a UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card) or Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, which is known to those skilled in the art as one of the most commonly used forms of security element. The specialist will however, recognize that other types of security elements, referred to as USIM, R-UIM, ISIM, and the like, depending on the generation and type of underlying cellular standard, are also encompassed by the present invention.

The security element 14 preferably comprises a central processing unit or a central processor, which is designed such that applications can be executed on the processor, such as an application, which preferably provides at least some of the features for testing the functionality of the security element 14, as this will be described in detail below in connection with Figure 2. Preferably, such applications may be implemented in the form of Java Applets. The security element 14 preferably further comprises a storage unit, which is preferably implemented as a non-volatile, rewritable storage unit, eg in the form of a flash memory. The application code of applications implemented on the security element 14 is preferably stored in this memory unit. The storage unit is preferably further configured to receive a subscription profile containing data enabling the security element 14 and the telematics module 13 to log into and communicate over a cellular network. Preferably, these data include subscription authorization data ("subscription credentials"), eg an IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity) and / or an authentication key Ki, an MNO-specific authentication algorithm and / or the like. Preferably, at least parts of the memory unit of the security element 14 are designed to securely store data therein, for example, subscription authorization data to be kept secret. According to the invention, such a subscription profile for communicating via a mobile radio network can be applied to the security element both before and after the test described here for checking the functionality of the security element, for example by means of an OTA download.

As already mentioned above, the telematics module 13 is configured by means of its GSM module and the security element 14, via the air interface with a mobile radio network (also referred to as "mobile network" or "Public Land Mobile Network" [PLMN] ) to communicate. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the mobile radio network with which the telematics module 13 is able to communicate is operated according to the "Global Standard for Mobile Communications" standard, which is specified in a plurality of ETSI specifications. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may also be used to advantage in connection with other mobile networks. Such networks include third generation (3GPP) cellular networks such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), fourth generation (4G) cellular networks such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), and other cellular networks such as CDMA and the like.

As is known to the person skilled in the art, a mobile radio network or PLMN constructed according to the GSM standard generally comprises a BSS (Base Station Subsystem), which consists of a multiplicity of BTSs ("Base Transceiver Station"), the respective radio cells of the PLMN and are connected to a BSC ("Base Station Controller"). Typically, the BSC is one of a plurality of BSCs that communicate with a common MSC ("Mobile Switching Center"). Often, a local database called VLR (Visitor Location Register) is part of the MSC, to provide information about the mobile subscribers currently located in the radio cells served by an MSC (ie the area covered by an MSC). The MSC provides substantially the same functionality as a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and is in communication with a HLR ("Home Location Register"), which is the primary database of the PLMN the information for the registration or authentication of the mobile subscribers are stored. For this purpose, the HLR usually has access to an AUC ("Authentication Center"). As is known to those skilled in the art, the communication links between the above-described components of a PLMN may be based on proprietary and / or open standards. The protocols used may be, for example, SS7 or IP based. How the network components are formed as separate or aggregated units and how the interfaces are formed between these components, is a matter for the MNO, so that the above description is to be understood as exemplary only.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the above-described functional units of a conventional GSM standard mobile network may have different names in other or future cellular standards, the underlying principles are substantially the same and are therefore also encompassed by the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a preferred sequence of a method for testing the functionality of the mobile terminal 13 with the security element 14 by the system of FIG. 1. In a first step S of FIG. 2, the identity of the security element 14 located in the mobile terminal 13 to be tested is determined. For this purpose, the test mobile radio network 20 preferably determines an identifier or an identification element SE-ID of the security element 14, for example by a server of the test mobile network 20 polling the identifier SE-ID at the security element 14 or storing it in a database of the test mobile radio network 20 is. Preferably, the identifier SE-ID of the security element 14 is an ICCID (Integrated Circuit Card Identifier) or an IMSI (International Mobile Suspenders Identity) of the security element 14.

As described above, according to preferred embodiments of the invention, the identifier SE-ID of the security element 14 can be read from a database. According to the invention, it is conceivable that this database is implemented in a hardware security module (HSM) that is part of or in communication with the test mobile radio network 20. Such an HSM could be designed as a module of a server of the test mobile radio network 20. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, it is also conceivable that this HSM is also present in the form of a security element, in particular in the form of a UICC. In an embodiment with an HSM, there is the advantageous possibility of establishing a secure communication tunnel between the security element 14 and the HSM via the mobile terminal 13 and the test mobile radio network 20, which provides an end-to-end backup.

On the basis of the identifier of the security element 14 present to the test mobile radio network 20, the authentication data are also derived in step S 1 of FIG. 2, which the security element 14 requires. to authenticate to the test cellular network 20. Since these authentication data preferably comprise at least one cryptographic key, the authentication data are referred to as "key" for the sake of clarity.

In step S2 of Figure 2, the security element 14 is caused to switch from its normal operating mode to a test operating mode. This switching is preferably triggered by one or more commands that are transmitted from the test mobile network 20, preferably in encrypted form, to the security element 14.

After the security element 14 has been switched to the test mode in step S3 of FIG. 2, the security element 14 and the test mobile radio network 20, including the mobile terminal 13 in step S4 of FIG. 2, perform a test authentication protocol, in which preferably the authentication data or keys are used, which slides off the test mobile network 20 and has been sent to security element 14 in step S2 of Figure 2. The test authentication protocol is preferably configured in such a way that the error-free operation of the mobile terminal 13 can be checked here between the security element 14 and the test mobile radio network 20 during the authentication process. For this purpose, the test authentication protocol is preferably designed such that there is no difference between the test authentication protocol between the security element 14 in the test mode and the test mobile network 20 and the authentication protocol, which from the security element 14 in its normal from the perspective of the mobile terminal 13 Operating mode is performed in order to subscribe to a mobile radio network. The person skilled in the art will recognize that in this preferred embodiment tion of the test authentication protocol between the security element 14 in the test mode and the test mobile network 20, the content of the messages that are part of the test authentication protocol between the security element 14 and the test mobile network 20 can be relatively freely selected. For example, in the case that the checking of the functionality of the mobile terminal 13 with the security element 14 takes place in a secure environment, for example at the manufacturer of the mobile terminal, cryptographic safeguards by the test authentication protocol can be dispensed with.

If the authentication process between the security element 14 in the test mode and the test mobile network 20 has been successfully performed, i. If the security element 14 or the mobile terminal 13 has successfully logged on to the test mobile radio network 20 (see step S5 of FIG. 2), different tests of the mobile terminal 13 can be carried out in step S6 of FIG. that the mobile terminal 13 in conjunction with a mobile network, in this case the test mobile network 20, works correctly.

After the tests for checking the functionality of the mobile terminal 13 in conjunction with the test mobile network 20 have been carried out in step D6 of FIG. 2, the security element 14 is switched back from the test mode to the "normal" operating mode in step S7 of FIG , The "normal" operating mode of the security element 14 stands for the mode in which the security element 14 is operated when it is used as part of the mobile terminal 13 in the field.

Claims

Patent claims

A method for testing the functionality of a mobile terminal (13) with a security element (14) fixedly installed in the mobile terminal (13) in a mobile radio network, the method comprising the following steps:

switching the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) from a normal operating mode to a test mode, wherein the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) in the test mode is configured to authenticate to a test cellular network (20) ;

performing a test authentication protocol between the security element (14) and the test mobile network (20), checking the operability of the mobile terminal (13) with the security element (14) in the test mobile network (20), and

the switching back of the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) in the normal operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the test authentication protocol is configured such that, from the perspective of the mobile terminal (13), there is no difference between the test authentication protocol between the security element (14) in the test mode and the test mobile network (20 ) and an authentication protocol performed by the security element (14) in its normal operating mode to log in to a cellular network.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the method prior to the step of switching of the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) from the normal operating mode in the test mode the further step determining an identifier (SE-ID) of the security element (14) by the test mobile radio network (20), preferably a chip ID, an IMSI or the like.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifier (SE-ID) of the security element (14) is determined with the aid of a hardware security module that is part of the test mobile network (20) or in communication with this.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Step of switching the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) from the normal mode to the test mode by the further step of the test mobile network (20) sending at least one command to switch to the test mode to the security element (14) ,

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein prior to the step of performing a test authentication protocol between the security element (14) and the test mobile network (20), the method comprises the further step of transmitting authentication data from the test mobile network to the security element ( 14) required to perform the test authentication protocol between the security element (14) and the test mobile network (20).

The method of claim 6, wherein the authentication data comprises the cryptographic keys or secrets required to perform the test authentication protocol between the security element (14) and the test mobile network (20).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein prior to the step of transmitting the authentication data from the test mobile network (20) to the security element (14), the method comprises the further step of determining the authentication data by the test mobile network (20) in the determination of the authentication data, the identifier of the security element is included.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the number is limited, how often the security element (14) can be switched to the test mode.

10. Security element (14) for a mobile terminal (13), wherein the security element (14) is adapted to be switched from a normal operating mode in a test mode, wherein the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) in Test mode is configured to authenticate to a test mobile network (20), wherein the security element (14) is an eUICC or M2M module.

11. Mobile terminal (13) with a security element (14) according to claim 10.

12. System (10) for testing the operability of a mobile terminal (13) with a fixedly installed in the mobile terminal (13) security element (14) provided in a mobile network, wherein the security element (14) is configured to from a normal operating mode in a test mode to be switched, wherein the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) is adapted to perform a Initiate test authentication protocol between the security element (14) and the test mobile network (20), wherein the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) in the test mode is configured to authenticate to a test mobile network (20), wherein the test mobile network (20) is adapted to check the operability of the mobile terminal (13) with the security element (14) in the test mobile network (20), and wherein the security element of the mobile terminal (13) is adapted thereto the switching back of the security element (14) of the mobile terminal (13) in the normal operating mode after checking the operability of the mobile terminal (13).