Baseline Privacy

DOCSIS Baseline Privacy (BPI) provides data privacy across the hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network by encrypting traffic flows between the modem and the cable operator's Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS).

BPI security services are a set of extended services within the DOCSIS MAC sublayer. Two new MAC management message types, BPKM-REQ and BPKM-RSP, are employed to support the Baseline Privacy Key Management (BPKM) protocol.

The BPKM protocol does not use authentication mechanisms such as passwords or digital signatures; it provides basic protection of service by ensuring that a modem, uniquely identified by its 48-bit IEEE MAC address, can only obtain keying material for services it is authorized to access.

The Cisco uBR924 cable modem is able to obtain two types of keys from the CMTS:

Note: Starting with Cisco IOS Release 12.0(5)T, all Cisco uBR924 cable modem images support DOCSIS BPI encryption/decryption. BPI is subject to export restrictions.

For more information on this feature, refer to the DOCSIS Baseline Privacy Interface Specification (SP-BPI-I01-970922).

The following information is entered by the user to specify retransmission intervals and grace periods for the various wait states (authorize, operational, rekey, and authorization reject).

Authorize Wait Timeout

Specifies the retransmission interval (in seconds) of Authorization Request messages from the Authorize Wait state. (Valid range is 2 to 30 seconds.)

Example: 10 (seconds)---This is the default value.

Reauthorize Wait Timeout

Specifies the retransmission interval (in seconds) of Authorization Request messages from the Authorize Wait state. (Valid range is 2 to 30 seconds.)

Example: 10 (seconds)---This is the default value.

Authorization Grace Timeout

Specifies the grace period for reauthorization (in seconds). (Valid range is 1 to 1800 seconds.)

Example: 600 (seconds)---This is the default value.

Operational Wait Timeout

Specifies the retransmission interval (in seconds) of Key Requests from the Operational Wait state. (Valid range is 1 to 10 seconds.)

Example: 1 (second)---This is the default value.

Rekey Wait Timeout

Specifies the retransmission interval (in seconds) of Key Requests from the Rekey Wait state. (Valid range is 1 to 10 seconds.)

Example: 1 (second)---This is the default value.

TEK Grace Time

Specifies the grace period for rekeying (in seconds). (Valid range is 1 to 1800 seconds.)

Example: 600 (seconds)---This is the default value.

Authorize Reject Wait Timeout

Specifies how long (in seconds) a modem waits in the Authorize Reject Wait state after receiving an Authorization Reject. (Valid range is 60 to 1800 seconds.)

Example: 60 (seconds)---This is the default value.

Related Topics

Set Up Baseline Privacy

Overview: Cisco DOCSIS CPE Configurator