An energy-efficient random fingerprint and verification for wireless sensor networks authentication protocols

Abstract

Sensor devices are limited resources (memory storage, energy, power computation and transmission), thus providing security mechanisms with lightweight resources is a very challenge in Wireless Sensors Network (WSNs). Recently, we show that, Vaidya and al.'s Improved Robust scheme for Dynamic User Authentication in WSNs is vulnerable to the risk of forgery attacks and Denial-of-Service (DoS) and we have proposed a lightweight solution which is adequate for resource constrained sensor networks. In this paper, we derive from password a much shorter string that could serve as random fingerprint to improve Login and Authentication phase. After having taken note that the security analysis of authentication protocols has already demonstrated through hash function properties and computational complexity, we propose an evaluation by experimenting firstly on the real sensor platform SensLab to measure energy consumption. After, we verify secrecy and authentication properties by the widely accepted AVISPA (Automated Validation of Internet Security Protocols and Applications) tool and validate protocols through simulation based on attacks.