Secure Session Key Exchange for Mobile IP Low Latency Handoffs

Abstract

Mobile IP Low Latency Handoffs allow greater support for real-time services on a Mobile IPv4 network by minimising the period of time when a mobile node is unable to send or receive IP packets due to the delay in the Mobile IP Registration process. However, on Mobile IP network with AAA servers that are capable of performing Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting(AAA) services, every Regional Registration has to be traversed to the home network to achieve new session keys, that are distributed by home AAA server, for a new Mobile IP session. This communication delay is the time taken to re-authenticate the mobile node and to traverse between foreign and home network even if the mobile node has been previously authorized to old foreign agent. In order to reduce these extra time overheads, we present a method that performs Low Latency Hando. without requiring further involvement by home AAA server. The method re-uses the previously assigned session keys. To provide the confidentiality of session keys in the phase of key exchange between old FA and new FA, it uses a key sharing method with a trusted third party. The proposed method allows the mobile node to perform Low Latency Hando. with fast as well as secure operation.