ECG-Signal Based Secret Key Generation (ESKG) Scheme for WBAN and Hardware Implementation

Abstract

In this article, we present an ECG-signal based secret key generation (ESKG) scheme, where the secret key is generated from patient ECG signal and the same is used for the encryption of data from the implanted (In-body) sensor node. The In-body sensor node includes cardiac defibrillator and pacemakers which are devices that perform therapeutic and lifesaving functions, thus it is necessary to prevent the adversaries from modification of the implanted device. The ESKG scheme is an efficient device authentication model, designed to provide the secret key from the ECG signal parameters where the secret key, the ECG signal, combined with the existing secure force (SF) Algorithm and is analyzed in the result to show it as a theoretically unbreakable. This SF algorithm is already proven for wireless sensor node, low resource constraint architecture, thus we implemented the same in wireless body area sensor networks (WBAN) cryptograph architecture. Unlike other ECG signal based key agreement schemes, where ECG-signal feature based keys are either pre-deployed or pre-shared between the nodes, The EFSK generation, used by doctor end system generates four distinct keys to the patient implanted sensor, where encryption process is carried out with it. The data protected by the EFSK, is not possible for any adversaries to access at the node or during data communication. The paper describes the real time implementation steps to realize an ECG based authentication system in identify the sensor node. where the secret key is communicated in a wireless environment from the transmitter to the receiver and the entire cryptographic operation is realized with the stand alone raspberry pi pro 3 device. The proposed model for secret key generation from the ECG signal shows ESKG and encryption algorithm is a valid scheme for protecting WBAN systems.