Privacy Preserving Task Force Communication in Hastily Formed Networks through ACT

Abstract

Task Forces are groups formed to command, control and manage time bound emergency situationslike rescue and relief operations, event management, emergency health care assistance, through collaborativeeffort. Technological assistance and coordination among the members of the Task Forcesare critical for accomplishing their mission. The proposed work gives a scheme for secure and privacypreserving group communication among the members at different hierarchical levels of theTask Force. Mostly such tasks are to be carried out in conditions of scarce infrastructural availability.Communication among the members of the Task Force is based on their responsibility and authoritywithin the sub-group to which they belong and can be realized through Mobile Adhoc Network(MANET). The proposed system achieves privacy and security in communication through AccessControl Tree (ACT) structure using Ciphertext Policy Attribute Based Encryption (CP-ABE). Theproposed solution supports two essential requirements of a Task Force for accomplishing its goalwithin the stipulated time. One, a well organized Task Force with clear division of responsibilityand authority and the other, secure and privacy retaining communication among the members of thegroup.