Multifactor TLS Protocol for Holistic Security in Mobile Environment

Abstract

This paper proposes holistic security model through multi-bearer communication protocols over TCP/IP and SS#7 signalling networks to address security challenges in mobile environment. Holistic security comprises of multi-bearer communication, multifactor authentication, mutual authentication, TLS (Transport Layer Security), and fine-grained contextual role based access control. We present a novel procedure named as SS#7 Medium Access Procedure (SMAP) to access the SS#7 bearer through SMS (Short Message Service) that has been tested in a live GSM network. Through this procedure, we overcome security vulnerability in SMPP (Short Message Peer-to-Peer) protocol. We also propose—extension of TLS protocol for mutual authentication and principal evaluation. Through principal and context awareness, we determine the location and network attributes of the client to invoke fine-grained contextual role based access control.

Indexing terms:

• Holistic security
• Context awareness
• Fine-grained access control
• SS#7 Medium access procedure (SMAP)
• Contextual role based access control (CRBAS)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Asoke K Talukder

Asoke K Talukder has been in education for last 6 years with 25 years of prior industry experience in IT telecommunications. He is a recipient of many international awards for technology innovation and professional excellence including “ICIM Professional Excellence Award”, “ICL Services Trophy”, “ICL Chief Executive Excellence Award”, “Atlas Club Excellence Award”, “IBM Solutions Excellence Award” etc. He setup the first X.25 network in India for DoT in 1986. He worked for companies like ICIM, Microsoft, Oracle, Informix, Sequoia, ICL, Hewlett Packard, NEC, Fujitsu, Digital etc. In his last industry association, he was the founder-CTO of Cellnext, the pioneering wireless content and technology company in India. He authored a book on “Mobile Computing” published by Tata McGraw-Hill. He is the DaimlerChrysler Chair at MIT- Bangalore with more than 25 peer-reviewed publications. Recently he moved back to industry and joined Tyfone as Vice President—Software Development.