Cellular Network Infrastructure » IMSI Pseudonymization

= Specification for IMSI Pseudonymization on the Radio Interface for 2G and Above

== Introduction

A long-standing issue in the 3GPP specifications is, that mobile phones and

other mobile equipment (ME) have to send the International Mobile Subscriber

Identity (IMSI) unencrypted over the air. Each IMSI is uniquely identifying the

person who bought the associated Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) used in the

ME. Therefore most people can be uniquely identified by recording the IMSI that

their ME is sending. Efforts are made in the 2G and above specifications to

send the IMSI less often, by using the Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity

(TMSI) where possible.

But this is not enough. So-called IMSI catchers were invented and are used to

not only record IMSIs when they have to be sent. But also to force ME to send

their IMSI by immitating a Base Transceiver Station (BTS). IMSI catchers have

become small and affordable, even criminals actors without much budget can use

them to track anybody with a mobile phone.

The solution presented in this document is to periodically change the IMSI of

the ME to a new pseudonymous IMSI allocated by the Home Location Register (HLR)

or Home Subscriber Service (HSS). The only component that needs to be changed

in the network besides the SIM is the HLR/HSS, therefore it should be possible

even for a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) to deploy this privacy

enhancement.

== Location Updating

=== Regular

The SIM is provisioned with the IMSI (3GPP TS 23.008 section 2.1.9) and

cryptographic keys, that it uses to authenticate with the network. In the

Remote Access Network (RAN), the IMSI is sent over the air interface and then

transmitted to the Core Network (CN), where it is validated by the HLR/HSS.

The involved components vary by the generation of the network and whether the

SIM is attempting a Circuit Switched (CS) or Packet Switched (PS) connection.

But the principle is the same and looks like <<figure-imsi-regular>> for 2G CS

Location Updating with IMSI.

The IMSI is transmitted in the Location Updating Request from ME. The VLR

needs an authentication challenge specific to the secret keys on the SIM to

authenticate the SIM, and looks the authentication challenges up by the IMSI.

If the VLR does not have any more authentication challenges for the IMSI (as it

happens when the VLR sees the IMSI for the first time), the VLR requests new

authentication challenges from the HLR. Then the HLR verifies that the IMSI is

known and, if it is unknown, sends back an error that will terminate the

Location Updating procedure.

After the VLR found the authentication challenge, it authenticates the SIM, and

performs a Classmark Enquiry and Physical Channel Reconfiguration. Then the VLR

has the required information to finish the Location Updating, and continues

with an Update Location Request procedure with the HLR. Afterwards, the VLR

assigns a new TMSI with the Location Updating Accept, which is acknowledged by

the TMSI Reallocation Complete. In following Location Updates with the same

MSC, the ME sends the TMSI instead of the IMSI in the Location Updating

Request.

[[figure-imsi-regular]]

.Location Updating in 2G CS with IMSI

["mscgen"]

----

msc {

  hscale="1.75";

  ME [label="ME"], BTS [label="BTS"], BSC [label="BSC"], MSC [label="MSC/VLR"],

  HLR [label="HLR"];

  // BTS <=> BSC: RSL

  // BSC <=> MSC: BSSAP, RNSAP

  // MSC <=> HLR: MAP (process Update_Location_HLR, 3GPP TS 29.002)

  ME   => BTS [label="Location Updating Request"];

  BTS  => BSC [label="Location Updating Request"];

  BSC  => MSC [label="Location Updating Request"];

  --- [label="VLR requests new authentication challenges for this IMSI if necessary"];

  MSC  => HLR [label="Send Auth Info Request"];

  MSC <=  HLR [label="Send Auth Info Result"];

  ---;

  BSC <=  MSC [label="Authentication Request"];

  BTS <=  BSC [label="Authentication Request"];

  ME  <=  BTS [label="Authentication Request"];

  ME   => BTS [label="Authentication Response"];

  BTS  => BSC [label="Authentication Response"];

  BSC  => MSC [label="Authentication Response"];

  BSC <=  MSC [label="Classmark Enquiry"];

  BTS <=  BSC [label="Classmark Enquiry"];

  ME  <=  BTS [label="Classmark Enquiry"];

  ME   => BTS [label="Classmark Change"];

  BTS  => BSC [label="Classmark Change"];

  BSC  => MSC [label="Classmark Update"];

  BSC <=  MSC [label="Physical Channel Reconfiguration"];

  BTS <=  BSC [label="Ciphering Mode Command"];

  ME  <=  BTS [label="Ciphering Mode Command"];

  ME  =>  BTS [label="Ciphering Mode Complete"];

  BTS  => BSC [label="Ciphering Mode Complete"];

  BSC  => MSC [label="Ciphering Mode Complete"];

  MSC  => HLR [label="Update Location Request"];

  MSC <=  HLR [label="Insert Subscriber Data Request"];

  MSC  => HLR [label="Insert Subscriber Data Result"];

  MSC <=  HLR [label="Update Location Result"];

  BSC <=  MSC [label="Location Updating Accept"];

  BTS <=  BSC [label="Location Updating Accept"];

  ME  <=  BTS [label="Location Updating Accept"];

  ME   => BTS [label="TMSI Reallocation Complete"];

  BTS  => BSC [label="TMSI Reallocation Complete"];

}

----

=== With IMSI Pseudonymization

==== SIM Provisioning

==== Successful Location Update With Pseudonymous IMSI

==== Next Pseudonymous IMSI Arrives Via SMS

==== Error Handling

===== SMS is Lost

===== SMS Arrives Late

== Implementation Notes

=== Source Code for Reference Implementation

=== ATT = 0 required

=== Warning the User if the IMSI Does Not Change

=== End to End Encryption of SMS

=== User-configurable Minimum Duration Between IMSI Changes