Semester Project Of Telecommunication

Systems
Topic: GSM authentication & ciphering

Semester: 7th

Session: 2019-23

Submitted to: Sir Arslan Qureshi

Submitted By:
Muhammad Talha Saleem Roll No: BS-IT(E)-19-37

Abu Sufian Roll No: BS-IT(E)-19-25

Aqsa Abid Roll No: BS-IT(E)-19-44

Hadia Kamil Roll No: BS-IT(E)-19-48

Abeeha Maqsood Roll No: BS-IT(E)-19-12

 GSM Authentication & Ciphering
GSM Authentication & Ciphering is a crucial part of the GSM
security mechanism, which helps protect the communication
between the mobile device and the network, ensuring that only
authorised devices can access the network and that the
communication is protected from eavesdropping. With the
increasing use of mobile devices and the amount of sensitive
information being transmitted over the air, it is important to ensure
that communication security is maintained at all times.

GSM
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is the most
widely used standard for mobile communications worldwide. One of
the key security features of GSM is the use of authentication and
ciphering to protect the communication between a mobile device
and the network.

Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of the mobile
device, ensuring that only authorised devices are able to access the
network. This is done using a shared secret key, known as the Ki,
which is stored in both the SIM card and the network. When the
mobile device attempts to access the network, it sends a challenge
to the network, which the network then uses the Ki to encrypt and
send back to the mobile device. The mobile device then uses the Ki
to decrypt the challenge and send the result back to the network,
which verifies the identity of the mobile device.
Steps included in the authentication process:
● MS Request access to the network and send IMSI to MSC
● MSC forwards that IMSI to HLR and requests Authentication
Triplets
● HLR forwards that IMSI to AUC and requests Authentication
Triplets
● The AUC will use the IMSI to lookup the Ki associated with
that IMSI
● The AUC generates a Random number (RAND)
● Then Rand and Ki are inputted into A3 Algorithm, The output
is a Signed Response (SRES)
● Then Rand and Ki are inputted into A8 Algorithm, The output
is Ciphering Key (Kc)
Note: RAND, SRES, and Kcare Authentication Triplets
● 8AUC forward Authentication triplets to HLR
● 9HLR send them to MSC, MSC store SRES and Kc.
● 10 MSC forward only RAND number to MS

● MS has the Ki stored in SIM Card and gets RAND from MSC
● Then Rand and Ki are inputted into A3 Algorithm, The output
is a Signed Response (SRES)
 ● Then Rand and Ki are inputted into A8 Algorithm, The output
is Ciphering Key (Kc)
Note: RAND, SRES and Kcare the same as AUC generate

● MS store Kcon the SIM card

● MS sends only SRES back to MSC for validation
● MSC match MS-generated SRES with AUC-generated SRES,
if they match then the MS is Authenticated
Ciphering
Ciphering is the process of encrypting the communication between
the mobile device and the network to protect it from eavesdropping.
This is done using the A5/1 and A5/3 algorithms, which are stream
cyphers that use the Ki as the encryption key. The encrypted
communication is then sent over the air, and can only be decrypted
by the intended recipient using the same Ki.
Steps included in the ciphering process:

● Once the MS is authenticated, Ciphering Key is sent to BTS

and switched to Cipher Mode
Note: MS and BTS both have the same Cipher Key

● MS input Data and Kcinto A5 encryption algorithm resulting in

an enciphered data stream
● Similarly, BTS input Data and Kcinto A5 algorithm results in an
enciphered data stream
 ● At destination Ciphered Data and Kcinput to A5 Algorithm
resulting in original data.
This is how it works in flow.