Research Article

Beyond PS-LTE: Security Model Design Framework for PPDR Operational Environment

Table 7

Security requirements.

CategorySecurity requirements

UERestrict to only access the LTE network (public land mobile network (PLMN)) that the shared infrastructure (PS-LTE) operates
Prohibit from accessing other IP networks except those operated by the owner organization
Restrict providing network functionalities that enable other devices to access the IP networks, e.g., hotspot and tethering
Protect external storages to be read
Apply data leakage protection, e.g., use data store ciphering or build a cloud system to prohibit UE from storing data
Enforce memory protection and apply PIN to USIM
Enforce user to UE authentication
Allow transceiving only the PS-LTE radio frequency bands (enforced requirement)
Enable minimum functionality of UE when network is disconnected or the mobile device management (security) policies are not applicable
Allow only the mobile service application to be installed in the white list
Enforce encryption/decryption of all data tranceived from/to UE
Enforce the security policies to be applied after the factory initialization of UE
Protect the mobile applications to enforce security policies to be terminated and removed
Keep the versions of OS and the mobile applications installed in UE up to date and confirm the integrity of the update files
Prohibit executing all functionalities of rooted UEs

PS-LTE infrastructureEnforce multi-factor authentication for user to UE, user to infrastructure (network), and user to services authentications
Check validity of IMSI and IMEI pair and user and UE pair during network connection
Allow connections between LTE components only specified in standards and restrict the connections to service/protocol level
Allow UE connection to IP network only to those allocated IP within distinguishable range
Continuously change ciphering keys for transferring data even within the same session
Enforce the traffic tranceived between type 1 UE and IP network of an organization to pass P-GWA and S-GWA, not P-GW nor S-GW
Allocate IP address to type 1 UEs distinct to other UEs
Use security certified devices consisting of the security systems

PPDR service systemProvide API to call functions in web server and define/set authorization levels considering user types
Prohibit executing the functions for which the API is not defined
Provide services run in web server to UEs only through app server
Do not store any generated or passing data to app server during service; app server behaves like a proxy
Develop the mobile service applications as in-app fashion and check if requests sent from UE are generated by the applications; apps must not rely on browser
Develop mobile service applications applying obfuscation technologies
Develop the app/web server programs and the mobile service applications following the secure coding norms
Use security certified devices consisting of the security systems