diff --git a/src/gsm/auth_core.c b/src/gsm/auth_core.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78121bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gsm/auth_core.c
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+/* GSM/GPRS/3G authentication core infrastructure */
+
+/* (C) 2010-2011 by Harald Welte <laforge@gnumonks.org>
+ *
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include <osmocom/core/utils.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/linuxlist.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/plugin.h>
+
+#include <osmocom/crypt/auth.h>
+
+static LLIST_HEAD(osmo_auths);
+
+static struct osmo_auth_impl *selected_auths[_OSMO_AUTH_ALG_NUM];
+
+/* register a cipher with the core */
+int osmo_auth_register(struct osmo_auth_impl *impl)
+{
+	if (impl->algo >= ARRAY_SIZE(selected_auths))
+		return -ERANGE;
+
+	llist_add_tail(&impl->list, &osmo_auths);
+
+	/* check if we want to select this implementation over others */
+	if (!selected_auths[impl->algo] ||
+	    (selected_auths[impl->algo]->priority > impl->priority))
+		selected_auths[impl->algo] = impl;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* load all available GPRS cipher plugins */
+int osmo_auth_load(const char *path)
+{
+	/* load all plugins available from path */
+	return osmo_plugin_load_all(path);
+}
+
+int osmo_auth_supported(enum osmo_auth_algo algo)
+{
+	if (algo >= ARRAY_SIZE(selected_auths))
+		return -ERANGE;
+
+	if (selected_auths[algo])
+		return 1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int osmo_auth_gen_vec(struct osmo_auth_vector *vec,
+		      struct osmo_sub_auth_data *aud,
+		      const uint8_t *_rand)
+{
+	struct osmo_auth_impl *impl = selected_auths[aud->type];
+
+	if (!impl)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
+	return impl->gen_vec(vec, aud, _rand);
+}
+
+int osmo_auth_gen_vec_auts(struct osmo_auth_vector *vec,
+			   struct osmo_sub_auth_data *aud,
+			   const uint8_t *rand_auts, const uint8_t *auts,
+			   const uint8_t *_rand)
+{
+	struct osmo_auth_impl *impl = selected_auths[aud->type];
+
+	if (!impl || !impl->gen_vec_auts)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
+	return impl->gen_vec_auts(vec, aud, rand_auts, auts, _rand);
+}