Efficient hierarchical threshold symmetric group key management protocol for mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Abstract

With rapid growth of Ad Hoc Networks consisting of low power computing devices, security will be an important factor for their full implementation. Because of scarcity of resources in terms of computing capability and energy efficiency, designing of computationally efficient group key management protocols with dynamic topology is a major concern. Teo and Tan [11] proposed an energy-efficient generalized circular hierarchical group model, but this approach suffers from: (i) exponential increase of key messages due to dynamic topology and (ii) energy loss because the vicinity of nodes in a subgroup is high. This work is an extension of Teo & Tan's circular hierarchical model for fixed number of group members. The proposed modification overcomes these two weaknesses of Teo & Tan's protocol. The proposed modifications make this protocol secure against replay, masquerading, spoofing, chosen ciphertext and impersonation attacks because of proper authentication and digital signatures. The comparative numerical and simulation analysis of proposed approach has been made with Teo & Tan, Wen-Lin-Hwang's (WLH) and along with Tseng's group key agreement approach. The analysis shows that proposed approach is well suited for low computational mobile devices with minimum delay. Through WLH protocol shows maximum throughput and minimum delay however it lacks in terms of security aspects. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.