Low-latency secure mobile communications

On the one hand, the challenge of meeting various security requirements in the mobile and wireless environment is difficult, compared to the fixed and wired environment, because of the very nature of radio communications. On the other hand, wireless networks such as GSM, PCS and CDMA, which are predominantly circuit-switched voice networks, have been shielded from the vulnerabilities that exist in the Internet. With the introduction of the IP multimedia subsystems (IMS) solutions, data, voice and video will be accessible using UNITS and CDMA2000 networks via the Internet. The current mobile equipment has the capability to work with multiple radio interfaces using heterogeneous radio access networks. Mobile subscribers have also become truly mobile since they are not constrained by mobile equipment, networks and applications. However, information between individuals has to be protected. Therefore, there will exist always the notion of private and public communications. In the mobile and wireless environment, the challenge is private communications between peers over non private domains. This paper describes schemes offering secure communications between mobile nodes using virtual private networking technologies based on IP security (IPSec). In addition, mobility management is done using mobile IP along with route-optimization techniques. This paper also describes how latencies suffered by real-time traffic when traversing IPSec and mobile IP tunnels can be reduced so that real-time delay constraints can be meet.