Sierra Wireless DART 200 CDPD Modem manual Cdpd Security Features, Airlink security

Chapter
3	CDPD Security Features

Airlink security

The Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) network is a public wireless data communications service vulnerable to casual eavesdropping. To minimize this possibility, a data encryption mechanism is provided for all non-broadcast communications between the Mobile Data Intermediate System (MDIS) and the Mobile End System (M-ES).

If activated by the carrier, encryption services are implemented by the MDIS. At registration time the Data Access Radio Transmitter (DART) 200 is told, during session negotiation, whether or not encryption is being used. The M-ES has no choice and follows the lead of the MDIS in using or not using encryption

Authentication services

M-ES authentication is provided within the CDPD network to prevent fraudulent use of the network. This mechanism is implemented by the MDIS, as follows:

1.The MDIS validates the Authentication Data (credentials) presented by the M-ES at registration time by comparing them against information stored in the MDIS authentication table.

2.If the credentials are acceptable to the MDIS they are updated, stored back into the MDIS authentication table, and also sent back to the M-ES for use when it next registers. Registration is denied if the M-ES presented credentials do not match those stored for its Network Entity Identifier (NEI) by the MDIS.

When an IP Address is first authorized for use by the carrier, or an IP Address is loaded into a modem, the associated credentials are set to zero. On each subsequent registration the credentials are for the IP Address are updated as described in steps 1 and 2 above.

PN1197-00 Revision 1.0