Lightweight Authentication Mechanisms for Securing Wearable Medical Devices in Body Area Networks
Chima Nwankwo Idika · Global Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies · 2022
The increasing adoption of wearable medical devices (WMDs) within Body Area Networks (BANs) has revolutionized remote health monitoring and personalized medicine. However, their constrained computing resources and constant wireless communication expose them to security and privacy vulnerabilities such as eavesdropping, impersonation, and data manipulation. Traditional cryptographic protocols are often unsuitable for such devices due to high energy, latency, and computational overhead. This review investigates lightweight authentication mechanisms specifically tailored to resource constrained WMDs operating in BAN environments. It explores symmetric key based methods, elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), hash-chain authentication, biometric-assisted verification, and blockchain-enabled lightweight frameworks. The paper evaluates these mechanisms based on energy efficiency, scalability, robustness, and resistance to common network threats. Furthermore, it discusses emerging trends such as AI-driven adaptive authentication, quantum-resistant lightweight ciphers, and privacy-preserving communication models. By comparing current frameworks, identifying performance trade-offs, and proposing future research directions, this review aims to advance secure and efficient authentication strategies that safeguard patient data and enhance trust in connected healthcare systems.