Advanced SSL/TLS-based authentication for secure WLAN-3G interworking

Motivated by the fact that the SSL protocol has proved its effectiveness in wired IP networks, recent research work has examined the potential use of this protocol in various wireless technologies. Although Wi-Fi networks present security deficiencies, they manage to penetrate the wireless market to a great degree due to their low cost, easy administration, great capacity, IP-oriented nature, etc. Considering Wi-Fi networking settings, administrated by different operators, as parts of a common core 3G infrastructure, the author propose the potential application of enhanced SSL-based authentication mechanisms in integrated emerging-3G and Wi-Fi networks. Existing problems related to authentication and key agreement (AKA) procedures and the extensible authentication protocol (EAP)-AKA, as they appear in the latest 3G and integrated 3G/ Wi-Fi specifications, are discussed. It is proposed how EAP-TLS, combined with public key infrastructure (PKI) elements, can be used to overcome these inefficiencies in a hybrid WLAN 3G heterogeneous environment, in order to provide strong authentication and end-to-end security to the mobile user.