A survey of key management schemes in multi-phase wireless sensor networks

doi:10.1016/j.comnet.2016.05.005

Computer Networks

Volume 105, 4 August 2016, Pages 60-74

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2016.05.005 Get rights and content

Abstract

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are the enabling technology for smart cities, intelligent cars and transportation systems, precision agriculture, animal tracking, and all data collection and sensing-based applications. In most WSN applications, new sensor nodes are added to the network by post-deployment to assure network connectivity, to replace dead sensor nodes or to cover more regions in the area of interest. This type of network is called Multi-Phase WSNs (MPWSNs). Similarly to classical WSNs, multi-phase WSNs require security mechanisms to ensure their deployment. However, these networks need specific solutions adapted to the multiple deployments of nodes. In this paper, we review, classify and compare the existing key management schemes proposed for this type of sensor network. We illustrate both advantages and disadvantages of each multi-phase key management scheme. Finally, we give some directions to design lightweight robust key management for MPWSNs.

Section snippets

Multi-phase WSNs, principle and applications

Nowadays, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are a confirmed technology designed to sense and collect data in various domains and mainly those where human access is difficult, dangerous or unfeasible: forest fire detection, natural phenomena surveillance (i.e., volcano, hurricane, etc.), battlefield supervision, etc. In these kinds of applications, sensor nodes are intended to work in total autonomy. They are powered through non-rechargeable batteries and collaborate to deliver the collected data

Contribution

Key management schemes in WSNs are surveyed in several papers [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29]. Zhang et al. in [18] classify key management schemes in WSNs in three classes based on the encryption techniques: symmetric, asymmetric and hybrid. They describe and discuss key management solutions within these three classes. Xiaobing et al. [19] describe dynamic key management schemes in WSNs. They classify them in two categories: distributed and centralized. A

Evaluation metrics and notation

In this section, we describe the metrics used to study and compare multi-phase key management schemes. Furthermore, we define the adversary model that presents threats to MPWSNs. Table 2 gives the notation used in the description of the key management schemes reviewed in this paper.

In MPWSNs, a sensor node of a given generation j has a limited lifetime that does not exceed a fixed number of generations. This number is called the generation window G_w. After G_w, the sensor node is considered

Key management schemes in MPWSNs

This section reviews the state of the art key management schemes proposed for MPWSNs. We explain each multi-phase key management scheme and give its advantages and disadvantages. Existing multi-phase key management schemes can be classified as either deterministic or probabilistic. In a deterministic scheme, any two sensor nodes have a probability of 1 (sure event) to share at least one common key after their deployment. However, in a probabilistic scheme, any two sensor nodes share a key with

Discussion

In this section, we compare the studied schemes using the evaluation metrics defined in Subsection 3.1. As shown in Table 3, time synchronization is not required in LKM [5], MPDKE [10], S-RKP [9] and Tian et al.’s schemes [30], [31]. However, POLISH [16], POSH [17], RoK [7], RGM [13], [14], Zo-RoK [11], RPoK [15], HaG [12] and Yilmaz et al.’s schemes [8], [35] need synchronization between nodes, otherwise they cannot be applied. It is preferable for key management schemes in MPWSNs not to

Conclusion

Post-deployments are necessary in WSNs that are designed to operate for a long period of time. Dead nodes have to be replaced by new ones issued from post-deployments. Organizing the groups of new deployed sensor nodes within generations is a way of facilitating network management. However, multi-phase deployment has a negative impact on the efficiency of existing key management schemes used to ensure confidentiality, authentication and integrity of communication within these networks.

Mohamed-Lamine Messai is an associate professor at University of Ferhat Abbes Sétif 1, Algeria. He received the engineer degree in computer science from Farhet Abbes University of Sétif in 2006, Algeria. He received the ’Magister’ degree and PhD degree in networks and distributed systems from University of Bejaia in 2009 and 2016 respectively. His current research interests include wireless sensor networks security and energy saving techniques in wireless sensor networks.

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Hamida Seba is an associate professor at University Claude Bernard Lyon-France since September 2005. She got her PhD degree from University of Technology of Compiégne (UTC, France) in 2003 and her Ms. Degree from University of Science and Technology Houari Boumedienne (USTHB, Algeria). Her research activities concern security and fault tolerance in dynamic networks, self-stabilization and graph based representations and their applications in networking and matchmaking.

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Review articleA survey of key management schemes in multi-phase wireless sensor networks

Abstract

Section snippets

Multi-phase WSNs, principle and applications

Contribution

Evaluation metrics and notation

Key management schemes in MPWSNs

Discussion

Conclusion

Comput. Netw.

J. Netw. Comput. Appl.

J. Netw. Comput. Appl.

Comput. Commun.

Telecommun. Syst.

Wireless sensor networks: a survey on recent developments and potential synergies

J. Supercomput.

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) 2014-2024: forecasts, technologies, players

IDTechEx

Data aggregation scheduling algorithms in wireless sensor networks: Solutions and challenges

Communications Surveys & Tutorials, IEEE

Lightweight key management in wireless sensor networks by leveraging initial trust

Technical Report SRI-SDL-04-02

Self-healing schemes suitable for various WSNS

Internet and Distributed Computing Systems

Rok: a robust key pre-distribution protocol for multi-phase wireless sensor networks

Third International Conference on Security and Privacy in Communications Networks and the Workshops, 2007. SecureComm 2007.

Multiphase deployment models for fast self healing in wireless sensor networks

Proceedings of the 9th ACM conference on Computer and communications security

How to build random key pre-distribution schemes with self-healing for multiphase wsns

IEEE 27th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications (AINA)

A random key establishment scheme for multi-phase deployment in large-scale distributed sensor networks

Int. J. Inf. Secur.

A highly resilient and zone-based key predistribution protocol for multiphase wireless sensor networks

Proceedings of the 5th ACM symposium on QoS and security for wireless and mobile networks

Hag: Hash graph based key predistribution scheme for multiphase wireless sensor networks

IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC)

A resilient key predistribution scheme for multiphase wireless sensor networks

24th International Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences, ISCIS 2009.

Increasing resiliency in multi-phase wireless sensor networks: generationwise key predistribution approach

Comput. J.

Rpok: A strongly resilient polynomial-based random key pre-distribution scheme for multiphase wireless sensor networks

IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference (GLOBECOM 2010)

Polish: proactive co-operative link self-healing for wireless sensor networks

Stabilization, Safety, and Security of Distributed Systems

Posh: Proactive co-operative self-healing in unattended wireless sensor networks

IEEE Symposium on Reliable Distributed Systems, SRDS’08.

Review article
A survey of key management schemes in multi-phase wireless sensor networks