A security framework for mobile network based on security services and trusted terminals

As the mobile network migrates to an all-IP network with increasing speed, many new security requirements emerge. We analyze security threats and requirements of 3GPP/4G mobile networks and discuss various kinds of existing security measures. We argue that merely improving security mechanisms and protocols to protect the security of air interface is insufficient. The mobile network security must rely on the secure terminal environment. We also analyze the weaknesses of terminal protection by virus scanning, and propose a novel protection scheme for mobile networks based on security services and trusted terminals. By building a trusted computing environment at the mobile terminal, the proposed scheme combines verifying validity of software with access control, and checks the validity and the integrity of software in the security service provider. Under our scheme, the security ability supplied to the terminals and the whole network is much better.