Designing efficient and resilient tactical sensor network neighborhood keying algorithms

Abstract

This paper discusses the problem of achieving bandwidth and energy-efficient neighborhood group key distributions (NGKD) in tactical wireless sensor networks (TWSNs). We present new techniques that improve NGKD performance while also improving the resilience of TWSNs against attacks that combine node capture with message interception. This is accomplished without introducing additional communications or heavy-weight cryptographic computations that would degrade sensor network performance and reduce node lifetime. Our iterated keying algorithm allows networks to initialize and add new members as rapidly as any algorithm available, but with substantially greater deletion efficiency than in current practice. Our simulations demonstrate that, compared to techniques currently used in DoD research prototypes, our algorithm can reduce deletion bandwidth and energy costs by nearly 50 percent.