Novel_Authentication_Protocols_Tailored_for_Ambient_IoT_Devices_in_3GPP_5G_Networks

TL;DR

The paper addresses the energy and latency challenges of authenticating AIoT devices in 3GPP 5G networks by introducing ultra-lightweight authentication protocols based on SQN, nonces, and physical layer keys (PLK), with Ascon integration for simultaneous encryption and authentication. It presents registration and secure-access workflows across four deployment scenarios, achieving mutual authentication and key agreement while reducing computational and energy overhead. Through informal security analysis and device-level simulations, the authors demonstrate that existing 5G security protocols are too heavy for AIoT devices, whereas the proposed schemes shorten authentication time to under 1 second and substantially reduce energy consumption, particularly with Ascon-based designs. The work provides a forward-looking reference for AIoT security standardization, offering practical, adaptable solutions that maintain compatibility with current 3GPP security frameworks and accommodate diverse topologies and activation triggers.

Abstract

AIoT devices have attracted significant attention within the 3GPP organization. These devices, distinguished from conventional IoT devices, do not rely on additional batteries or have extremely small battery capacities, offering features such as low cost, easy deployment, and maintenance-free operation. Authentication and secure transmission are fundamental security requirements for AIoT devices. However, existing standard security mechanisms are not specifically designed for AIoT devices due to their complex key hierarchies and multi-round interactions, making them unsuitable. Besides, AIoT devices would have more various communication topologies. Therefore, we propose dedicated ultra-lightweight access authentication protocols based on various technologies and algorithms to serve as a forward-looking reference for future research and standardization. Analysis and simulation experiments using chips that closely resemble real AIoT devices, demonstrate that the existing standard protocols are indeed not suitable for such devices, and our protocols outperform existing standard protocols in terms of computational time and energy consumption. After the successful execution of proposed protocols, they can achieve secure transmission of application data, striking a balance between performance and security.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: Key hierarchy of 5G AKA
• Figure 2: AIoT network architecture
• Figure 3: Protocol based on SQN for scenario1
• Figure 4: Protocol based on nonce for scenario1
• Figure 5: Protocol based on PLK for scenario1