Security aspects of inter-access system mobility between 3GPP and non-3GPP networks

World leading telecom technology manufacturers and network operators have initiated a joint initiative aimed at driving forward the realization of the next generation of high performance mobile broadband networks based on 3GPP LTE/SAE specifications [1]. The motivation of 3GPP LTE/SAE was when it became clear that the future telecommunication systems was clearly IP with everything (the ldquoall-IPrdquo network, AIPN [2]), and that access to the 3GPP network would ultimately be not only via UTRAN or GERAN but by WiFi, WiMAX, or even wired technologies [3]. In this paper, we propose security mechanisms for secure fast handover during Inter-RAT handover, particularly handover between 3GPP and non-3GPP networks. This paper highlights the possibility and mechanism for security context transfer during Inter-RAT handover between 3GPP and trusted non-3GPP networks and also a pre-authentication mechanism for handover between 3GPP and untrusted non-3GPP networks.