Abstract
We describe a new class of lightweight, symmetric-key digital certificates called extended TESLA certificates and a source authentication protocol for wireless group communication that is based on the certificate. The certificate binds the identity of a wireless smart device to the anchor element of its key chain; keys from the chain are used for computing message authentication codes (MACs) onmessages sourced by the device. The authentication protocol requires a centralized infrastructure in the network: we describe the protocol in a hybrid wireless network with a satellite overlay interconnecting the wireless devices. The satellite is used as the Certificate Authority (CA) and also acts as the proxy for the senders in disclosing the MAC keys to the receivers. We also design a probabilistic nonrepudiation mechanism that utilizes the satellite's role as the CA and sender proxy. Through analysis, we show that the authentication protocol is secure against malicious adversaries. We also present detailed simulation results that demonstrate that the proposed protocol is much cheaper than traditional public key-based authentication technologies for metrics like processing delay, storage requirements, and energy consumption of the smart devices.
Highlights
Large networks of mobile wireless devices have the ability to provide rapid connectivity in disaster areas or military battlefields, or to interconnect users in far-flung geographical locations
We extend the original TESLA certificate design and propose a new source authentication protocol based on the extended TESLA certificate, by incorporating the following primary modifications: (i) we extend the lifetime of the TESLA certificate from single use to multiple uses; (ii) we allow disclosure of source TESLA keys via proxy; (iii) we add a probabilistic nonrepudiation mechanism to the source authentication protocol
We have proposed a modified version of a new class of lightweight, symmetric-key certificates called TESLA certificate, and described a source authentication protocol for group communication in hybrid satellite/wireless networks that is based on the extended TESLA certificate
Summary
Large networks of mobile wireless devices have the ability to provide rapid connectivity in disaster areas or military battlefields, or to interconnect users in far-flung geographical locations. In this work we focus on source authentication and associated message integrity protocols to facilitate secure communication between groups of wireless smart devices in the field. These security mechanisms are required to prevent attacks against the EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking network protocols and thereby ensure their correct and robust operation. We modify and enhance the original TESLA certificate design and apply the new certificate to hybrid wireless networks to propose an energy-efficient source authentication protocol for nodes in group communication that takes advantage of the centralized infrastructure present in the network, which is the satellite overlay in this particular example of the hybrid network.
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