Key predistribution schemes using bent functions in distributed sensor networks

Abstract

Key management is an essential functionality for developing secure cryptosystems; particularly for implementations to low cost devices of a Distributed Sensor Networks (DSN)–a prototype of Internet of Things (IoT). Low cost leads to constraints in various resources of constituent devices of a IoT (e.g., sensors of a DSN); thereby restricting implementations of computationally heavy public key cryptosystems. This leads to adaptation of the novel key predistribution trick in symmetric key platform to efficiently tackle the problem of key management for these resource starved networks. After a few initial proposals based on random graphs, most key predistribution schemes (KPS) use deterministic (combinatorial) approaches to assure essential design properties. Combinatorial designs like a (v, b, r, k)−configuration which forms a μ(v, b, r, k)−CID are effective schemes to design KPS [20]. In this paper, we use bent Boolean functions to generate four combinatorial designs for the purpose of designing deterministic KPS. Of particular interest are our later (two) schemes that are constructed over Dillon’s bent Boolean function. Effectiveness of our solutions in term of crucial metrics in comparison to prominent schemes has been theoretically established.