Article: Lightweight identity-based authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks Journal: International Journal of Information and Computer Security (IJICS) 2016 Vol.8 No.2 pp.121 - 138 Abstract: Wireless sensor network (WSN) is often deployed in hostile environments, which make it vulnerable to attacks. WSN comprises a large number of sensor nodes with different hardware abilities and functions. Due to the limited memory resources and energy constraints, complex security algorithms cannot be used in WSN. Hence, it is necessary to balance between security requirements and energy consumption. In this paper, we propose a lightweight public-key-based authentication protocol for WSNs. Our protocol uses identity-based encryption in order to lighten the energy consumption from the public-key certificate management. We have developed two variations of the proposed solution depending on the manner and when an attack should be detected. We perform an overall evaluation of our approach through simulations. The results indicate out performance of our approach in terms of energy consumption while providing effective security. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Lightweight identity-based authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks

Authors: Farah-Sarah Ouada; Mawloud Omar; Abdelmadjid Bouabdallah; Abdelkamel Tari

Addresses: Laboratoire d'Informatique Médicale, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université de Bejaia, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie ' Laboratoire d'Informatique Médicale, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université de Bejaia, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie ' Sorbonne Universités, Université de technologie de Compiegne, CNRS, Heudiasyc UMR 7253, CS 60 319, 60 203 Compiegne Cedex, France ' Laboratoire d'Informatique Médicale, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université de Bejaia, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie

Abstract: Wireless sensor network (WSN) is often deployed in hostile environments, which make it vulnerable to attacks. WSN comprises a large number of sensor nodes with different hardware abilities and functions. Due to the limited memory resources and energy constraints, complex security algorithms cannot be used in WSN. Hence, it is necessary to balance between security requirements and energy consumption. In this paper, we propose a lightweight public-key-based authentication protocol for WSNs. Our protocol uses identity-based encryption in order to lighten the energy consumption from the public-key certificate management. We have developed two variations of the proposed solution depending on the manner and when an attack should be detected. We perform an overall evaluation of our approach through simulations. The results indicate out performance of our approach in terms of energy consumption while providing effective security.

Keywords: authentication; public key certificate management; robustness; wireless sensor networks; WSNs; identity-based encryption; lightweight; IBE; cryptography; network security; energy consumption; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICS.2016.078123

International Journal of Information and Computer Security, 2016 Vol.8 No.2, pp.121 - 138

Received: 08 Jun 2015
Accepted: 17 Dec 2015
Published online: 03 Aug 2016 *

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Title: Lightweight identity-based authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks

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