Low-cost group rekeying for unattended wireless sensor networks

• Published in: Wireless networks Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 47 - 67
• Main Authors: Hernández-Serrano, Juan, Vera-del-Campo, Juan, Pegueroles, Josep, Gañán, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.01.2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Applied sciences; Communications Engineering; Computer Communication Networks; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Comunicacions mòbils; Comunicacions mòbils, Sistemes de; Cooperation; Cost engineering; Cryptography; Electrical Engineering; Energy consumption; Engineering; Enginyeria de la telecomunicació; Exact sciences and technology; Information, signal and communications theory; IT in Business; Keys; Kidnapping; Leaves; Memory and file management (including protection and security); Memory organisation. Data processing; Mobile communication systems; Monitoring; Network security; Networks; Proposals; Radiocomunicació i exploració electromagnètica; Security; Sensors; Signal and communications theory; Software; State of the art; Studies; Telecommunications and information theory; Telecomunicació; Wireless networks; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC; GKM; Rekeying; WSN; Sensors; Security; Autonomous system; Scalability; Measurement sensor; Hostile environment; Centralized system; Rekeying Security; Wireless network; Public key cryptography; Sensor array; Computer security; Monitoring; Security key
• ISSN: 1022-0038; 1572-8196
• DOI: 10.1007/s11276-012-0450-3

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are made up of large groups of nodes that perform distributed monitoring services. Since sensor measurements are often sensitive data acquired in hostile environments, securing WSN becomes mandatory. However, WSNs consists of low-end devices and frequently preclude the presence of a centralized security manager. Therefore, achieving security is even more challenging. State-of-the-art proposals rely on: (1) attended and centralized security systems; or (2) establishing initial keys without taking into account how to efficiently manage rekeying. In this paper we present a scalable group key management proposal for unattended WSNs that is designed to reduce the rekeying cost when the group membership changes.