Secure Simple Pairing, introduced into Bluetooth v2.1, simplifies the user experience when pairing Bluetooth devices.
This document describes the Symbian OS implementation of SSP. It describes the tasks that must be performed by UI creators to implement SSP and it describes how application developers can use Symbian APIs to pair with Bluetooth enabled devices using SSP.
Scope
This document is intended for Symbian partners and developers implementing SSP on Symbian OS. It assumes that you are familiar with Bluetooth and with developing on Symbian OS.
Purpose of SSP
SSP was introduced to simplify the user experience when pairing Bluetooth devices. Specifically:
there is no need for the user to think of a number
the authentication process may differ for different devices and different services
all data transfer is encrypted
The pairing model
Pre-SSP pairing is achieved by the user(s) entering a personal identification number (PIN) on one or both devices. Devices with no keypads, such as headsets, have their PINs (typically "0000" or "1234") hard-wired. This is now referred to as Legacy Paring.
Under SSP, devices specify their authorisation requirements. The user may have to:
press a button in response to a simple yes or no query
compare two automatically generated numbers and select 'yes' if they match or 'no' if they do not
enter a number on one or both devices
do nothing
Once the devices have paired the user may be asked to authorise bonding. Bonded devices can subsequently pair with no user interaction.
Key concepts
Verification that a remote device is what it claims to be. Authentication may be unnecessary for some pairings (see Just Works), may require user intervention (see Man in the Middle) or may be performed through another channel (see Out of Band).
In legacy pairing a remote device can be authorised after pairing such that it subsequently connects automatically without user intervention. Authorisation is on a per-service basis. See bonding.
Transmission of data between devices after SSP is always encrypted. Under legacy pairing data transmission is not always encrypted.
Authentication explicitly provided by the user before pairing can take place. Under SSP, devices and services have hard-wired authentication requirements as follows: MITM required, MITM not required (see Just Works) and MITM desired (subject to the user interface capabilities of the devices)
For some pairings there is little risk of a security breach so SSP provides a mechanism for devices to pair with no explicit user authentication.
In the context of a Symbian device, which always has both a display and a keypad, passkey authentication is used when pairing with a remote device which has a keypad but no display. The Symbian device displays a number which the user must enter using the keypad on the remote device
Out of Band authentication is performed using a non-Bluetooth communication channel. The data required to open an MITM protected Bluetooth connection with a remote device is transmitted by other means.
Two devices may bond after athentication such that they can reconnect without user intervention. Bonding is achieved on a Symbian device by storing a link key. Symbian devices attempt to bond by default. The user or the remote device may specify that the devices do not bond.
When a connection is authenticated a link key is created. The link key indicates the strength of authentication (legacy, authenticated or unauthenticated). The link key may be stored by the Symbian device and used to bond (the default behaviour) or discarded when the connection ends. The link key is not displayed to the user.
Components
Support for SSP was added to Symbian OS in v9.5.
Most of the changes are internal and transparent to system creators and developers. However, some new APIs added to the Bluetooth User Library allow application developers to use SSP features, and Licensees must implement some SSP specific notifiers.
The diagram below shows the interfaces and interface classes required to implement SSP.
Dedicated Bonding
Dedicated bonding is performed by the Bluetooth Pairing Server. Applications can use the
Out of Band Data
Out of Band pairing data can be passed to the Bluetooth Pairing Server. The server can use the supplied data to pair with the specified device. Applications can also use the
Numeric Comparison Notifier
The Bluetooth sub-system requires a Numeric Comparison Notifier to be provided by the UI. The notifier must handle
Passkey Entry Notifier
The Bluetooth sub-system requires a Passkey Entry Notifier to be provided by the UI. The notifier must handle
Data Types
SSP specific data is stored and manipulated using the following types (significant functions and fields shown only). These types are used in various device and service related APIs. They are defined in
Introdution
The Bluetooth sub-system has no user interface. It uses the Symbian
This document assumes that you already have Bluetooth notifiers in your system. It describes the key aspects of adding notifiers for SSP. The structures, types and constants described below are defined in
Notifiers are typically implemented as sleeping dialogs. A sleeping dialog has its resources allocated when its application (in this case the Uikon Server) is started. A sleeping dialog can therefore be displayed (roused) safely under low memory conditions.
Notes:
This document does not describe how to implement an ECOM plug-in or a sleeping dialog.
Customisation Kit Licensees can find an example notifier implementation here:
Numeric Comparison Notifier
A numeric comparison notifier is required for SSP Man in the Middle (MITM) authentication when the remote device is capable of displaying a number to the the user and accepting a yes or no response from the user. The notifier must display an automatically generated number and invite the user to confirm (yes or no) that the number is the same as the number displayed on the remote device. The notifier must return the user's response.
The Bluetooth Security Manager uses the following code to ask the notifier framework to display the Numeric Comparison Notifier
From the code above you can see that the Numeric Comparision Notifier is identified by the UID
The code fragment below shows how to extract the numeric comparison data within a notifier.
NOTE: You will need to implement all of the virtual functions in
Your dialog must display
The
Passkey Notifier
A passkey notifier is required for SSP MITM authentication when the user must type a number on a remote device which has a keypad and no display. The notifier displays the number that the user must type. In the code below the notifier also displays a '*' character as the user types each digit into the remote device.
The Bluetooth Security Manager uses the following code to ask the Notifier Framework to display the passkey notifier.
From the code above you can see that the Passkey Notifier is identified by the UID
As the user enters passkey digits into the remote device the Security Manager also uses
The code fragment below shows how to extract the passkey data within a notifier.
NOTE: You will need to implement all of the virtual functions in
Introduction
Out of Band authentication is achieved using a communication method other than Bluetooth. Once OOB authentication has succeeded an encrypted Bluetooth channel is opened between the two devices.
The OOB API,
Using the OOB API
The OOB data API is provided by the Pairing Server (part of the Security Manager).
The API has three primary functions:
Introduction
Dedicated bonding is intended for applications which bond with a specific Bluetooth device.
Using the dedicated bonding API
Secure +Simple Pairing, introduced into Bluetooth v2.1, simplifies the user experience +when pairing Bluetooth devices.
This document describes the Symbian +platform implementation of SSP. It describes the tasks that must be performed +by UI creators to implement SSP and it describes how application developers +can use Symbian APIs to pair with Bluetooth enabled devices using SSP.
Scope
This document is intended for Symbian partners and developers +implementing SSP on Symbian platform. It assumes that you are familiar with +Bluetooth and with developing on Symbian platform.
Purpose of SSP
SSP was introduced to simplify the user experience +when pairing Bluetooth devices. Specifically:
there is no need for +the user to think of a number
the authentication process +may differ for different devices and different services
all data transfer is +encrypted
The pairing model
Pre-SSP pairing is achieved by the user(s) +entering a personal identification number (PIN) on one or both devices. Devices +with no keypads, such as headsets, have their PINs (typically "0000" or "1234") +hard-wired. This is now referred to as Legacy Paring.
Under SSP, devices +specify their authorisation requirements. The user may have to:
press a button in response +to a simple yes or no query
compare two automatically +generated numbers and select 'yes' if they match or 'no' if they do not
enter a number on one +or both devices
do nothing
Once the devices have paired the user may be asked to authorise bonding. +Bonded devices can subsequently pair with no user interaction.
Key concepts
Verification that a remote device is what it claims to be. Authentication +may be unnecessary for some pairings (see Just Works), may require user intervention +(see Man in the Middle) or may be performed through another channel (see Out +of Band).
In legacy pairing a remote device can be authorised after pairing such +that it subsequently connects automatically without user intervention. Authorisation +is on a per-service basis. See bonding.
Transmission of data between devices after SSP is always encrypted. +Under legacy pairing data transmission is not always encrypted.
Authentication explicitly provided by the user before pairing can take +place. Under SSP, devices and services have hard-wired authentication requirements +as follows: MITM required, MITM not required (see Just Works) and MITM desired +(subject to the user interface capabilities of the devices)
For some pairings there is little risk of a security breach so SSP +provides a mechanism for devices to pair with no explicit user authentication.
In the context of a Symbian device, which always has both a display +and a keypad, passkey authentication is used when pairing with a remote device +which has a keypad but no display. The Symbian device displays a number which +the user must enter using the keypad on the remote device
Out of Band authentication is performed using a non-Bluetooth communication +channel. The data required to open an MITM protected Bluetooth connection +with a remote device is transmitted by other means.
Two devices may bond after athentication such that they can reconnect +without user intervention. Bonding is achieved on a Symbian device by storing +a link key. Symbian devices attempt to bond by default. The user or the remote +device may specify that the devices do not bond.
When a connection is authenticated a link key is created. The link +key indicates the strength of authentication (legacy, authenticated or unauthenticated). +The link key may be stored by the Symbian device and used to bond (the default +behaviour) or discarded when the connection ends. The link key is not displayed +to the user.
Components
Most +of the changes are internal and transparent to system creators and developers. +However, some new APIs added to the Bluetooth User Library allow application +developers to use SSP features, and Licensees must implement some SSP specific +notifiers.
The diagram below shows the interfaces and interface classes +required to implement SSP.
Dedicated +Bonding
Dedicated bonding is performed by the Bluetooth Pairing
+Server. Applications can use the
Out of Band Data
Out of Band pairing data can be passed to
+the Bluetooth Pairing Server. The server can use the supplied data to pair
+with the specified device. Applications can also use the
Numeric Comparison Notifier
The Bluetooth sub-system requires
+a Numeric Comparison Notifier to be provided by the UI. The notifier must
+handle
Passkey Entry Notifier
The Bluetooth sub-system requires
+a Passkey Entry Notifier to be provided by the UI. The notifier must handle
Data +Types
SSP specific data is stored and manipulated using the following
+types (significant functions and fields shown only). These types are used
+in various device and service related APIs. They are defined in
Introdution
The
+Bluetooth sub-system has no user interface. It uses the Symbian
This
+document assumes that you already have Bluetooth notifiers in your system.
+It describes the key aspects of adding notifiers for SSP. The structures,
+types and constants described below are defined in
Notifiers +are typically implemented as sleeping dialogs. A sleeping dialog has its resources +allocated when its application (in this case the Uikon Server) is started. +A sleeping dialog can therefore be displayed (roused) safely under low memory +conditions.
Notes:
This document does not +describe how to implement an ECOM plug-in or a sleeping dialog.
Customisation Kit Licensees
+can find an example notifier implementation here:
Numeric +Comparison Notifier
A numeric comparison notifier is required +for SSP Man in the Middle (MITM) authentication when the remote device is +capable of displaying a number to the the user and accepting a yes or no response +from the user. The notifier must display an automatically generated number +and invite the user to confirm (yes or no) that the number is the same as +the number displayed on the remote device. The notifier must return the user's +response.
The Bluetooth Security Manager uses the following code to +ask the notifier framework to display the Numeric Comparison Notifier
From the code above you can see that the Numeric Comparision
+Notifier is identified by the UID
The code fragment below shows how to extract the numeric +comparison data within a notifier.
NOTE: You will need to implement
+all of the virtual functions in
Your dialog must display
The
Passkey +Notifier
A passkey notifier is required for SSP MITM authentication +when the user must type a number on a remote device which has a keypad and +no display. The notifier displays the number that the user must type. In the +code below the notifier also displays a '*' character as the user types each +digit into the remote device.
The Bluetooth Security Manager uses +the following code to ask the Notifier Framework to display the passkey notifier.
From the code above you can see that the Passkey Notifier
+is identified by the UID
As
+the user enters passkey digits into the remote device the Security Manager
+also uses
The code fragment below shows how to extract the passkey data +within a notifier.
NOTE: You will need to implement all of the virtual
+functions in
Introduction
Out +of Band authentication is achieved using a communication method other than +Bluetooth. Once OOB authentication has succeeded an encrypted Bluetooth channel +is opened between the two devices.
The OOB API,
Using +the OOB API
The OOB data API is provided by the Pairing Server +(part of the Security Manager).
The API has three primary functions:
Introduction
Dedicated bonding is intended for applications +which bond with a specific Bluetooth device.
Using the dedicated bonding API