Challenges in implementing an end-to-end secure protocol for Java ME-based mobile data collection in low-budget settings

Abstract

Mobile devices are having a profound impact on how services can be delivered and how information can be shared. Sensitive information collected in remote communities can be relayed to local health care centers and from there to the decision makers who are thus empowered to make timely decisions. However, many of these systems do not systematically address very important security issues which are critical when dealing with such sensitive and private information. In this paper we analyze implementation challenges of a proposed security protocol based on the Java ME platform. The protocol presents a flexible secure solution that encapsulates data for storage and transmission without requiring significant changes in the existing mobile client application. The secure solution offers a cost-effective way for ensuring data confidentiality, both when stored on the mobile device and when transmitted to the server. In addition, it offers data integrity, off-line and on-line authentication, account and data recovery mechanisms, multi-user management and flexible secure configuration. A prototype of our secure solution has been integrated with openXdata. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.