SLIDE 6 GSM / UMTS security mechanisms
User Authentication
For each GSM subscriber, there is a key Ki (128 bit) Ki is stored on the SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) and HLR (Home
Location Register) Location Register)
Ki never leaves the SIM card or the HLR To authenticate, a "challenge-response" method is used, based on a one-
way function, in GSM referred to as A3 algorithm.
Each network operator can define A3 itself, known examples:
COMP128 (already cracked takes less than a minute) COMP128 (already cracked, takes less than a minute) COMP128-2 (secret) COMP128-3 (secret, but some analysis shows that problems of COMP128 have
been basically solved)
Security Mobile Communication Security 6