Research And Implementation On Security Of Communication Network Elements Maintenance Interface

In the early development of mobile communications industry, the scale of services provider was small, equipments were more concentrated and made by few manufacturers, day-to-day maintenance work were simple done by staff through console in the same machine room. With the development of mobile communication market, mobile network operators'equipments and rooms are increased dramatically. The equipment manufacturers developed its own maintenance and management system which can manage and maintain their equipments remotely.With the increasing demand for mobile communications, mobile network operators show the expansion of growth on their network scale, number and types of equipment expanded tens of times. At the same time as the evolution of GSM mobile communications network architecture, core network equipment developed gradually from the circuit-switch to the IP-switch technology. Most TCP/IP protocol based switching equipments use Windows operating system and TCP/IP network. Because of the shortcomings of the Windows platform as well as the vulnerability of TCP/IP protocol, it's easily led to the GSM mobile communications NE(Network Element, units constituted a communication network, usually refers to the MSC, BSC, HLR, and other equipments needed to be operated every day)be attacked by man-made or non-human reasons, result in paralysis of the system even business interruption.This paper takes the actual situation of a large mobile operators for example, analyses the traditional GSM networks and 3G(The Third Generation Mobile Communication)network structure and network maintenance mode, and sums up the features of NE maintenance interface at this stage. It aslo lists the potential risks in existing models and systems by unauthorized access, misuse of authority, falsify and disclaim, WEB services security defects, virus attacks and so on. Study on security of communication network elements maintenance Interface, finally designs and implementes a platform of security access, which can integrate most manufacturers'maintenance interface, ensure the legitimacy of the user, record and audit every users'operation, provide remote maintenance interface, supervise the abnormal behavior in the network, ensure NE runs normally and safely. The system and its development scheme provide a valuable reference for the research on security of the maintenance interface to our communications industry.