Optimal Layout of Multicast Groups Using Network Embedded Multicast Security in Ad Hoc Sensor Networks
Richard R. Brooks, Brijesh Pillai, Michele C. Weigle, Matthew Pirretti · International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks · 2007
This paper considers the security of sensor network applications. Our approach creates multicast regions that use symmetric key cryptography for communications. Each multicast region contains a single keyserver that is used to perform key management and maintain the integrity of a multicast region. Communications between two multicast regions is performed by nodes that belong to both regions. To ease the network management burden, it is desirable for the networks to self-organize into regions and dynamically select their keyservers. This paper shows how to determine the number of keyservers ( k) to use and the size in the number of hops ( h) of their multicast regions. We find that power consumption issues provide a natural trade-off that determines optimal values for these parameters. Analysis of one application shows an increase in system security with 70-80% less power overhead than existing security approaches.