Evaluation of EAP Usage for Authenticating Eduroam Users in 5G Networks
This work addresses the practical challenge of integrating Eduroam authentication into 5G networks for non-3GPP access, which is relevant for network operators and the Eduroam federation, but the contribution is incremental as it applies existing protocols to a specific scenario.
The paper evaluates the use of EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) for authenticating Eduroam users in 5G networks, focusing on non-3GPP access. It presents findings from a test environment, highlighting the need for careful selection of encryption algorithms and authentication methods to ensure secure convergence.
The fifth generation of the telecommunication networks (5G) established the service-oriented paradigm on the mobile networks. In this new context, the 5G Core component has become extremely flexible so, in addition to serving mobile networks, it can also be used to connect devices from the so-called non-3GPP networks, which contains technologies such as WiFi. The implementation of this connectivity requires specific protocols to ensure authentication and reliability. Given these characteristics and the possibility of convergence, it is necessary to carefully choose the encryption algorithms and authentication methods used by non-3GPP user equipment. In light of the above, this paper highlights key findings resulting from an analysis on the subject conducted through a test environment which could be used in the context of the Eduroam federation.