Ad Hoc Network CRL Distribution Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
In ad hoc networks, nodes face challenges in accessing and efficiently distributing Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) due to lack of infrastructure connectivity and bandwidth limitations, leading to issues with data overhead and outdated CRLs.
Innovation Solution
A new advertisement message and protocol are introduced to allow ad hoc nodes to broadcast CRL information, enabling nodes to decide whether to retrieve updated CRLs, verify their validity, and re-advertise the latest CRLs, thus efficiently propagating the latest CRLs throughout the network without pre-configured location information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nodes frequently retrieve CRLs to ensure timeliness of revocation information, then the currency of CRL information is improved, but network resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Nodes pre-fetch CRLs during periods of infrastructure connectivity and store them locally for later use during disconnection periods. This preliminary action ensures that CRL information is available when needed without requiring frequent real-time retrievals, thus maintaining currency while reducing network resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Each node maintains its own local copy of CRL information tailored to its specific needs and connectivity patterns. Nodes can optimize their local CRL storage strategies based on their individual disconnection frequencies and security requirements, allowing each node to balance currency and resource consumption independently.
2Reliability
If nodes broadcast CRL information to enable timely access across the network, then the availability of current CRLs is improved, but data overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and broadcasts only the essential CRL information (such as CRL identifiers, version numbers, and timestamps) rather than the complete CRL data. Nodes that need the actual CRL content can then request it selectively from neighbors that have it, significantly reducing broadcast data overhead while maintaining availability.
Solution Approach 2:
CRL information is segmented into different components: metadata (broadcast by all nodes), and actual CRL data (shared on-demand). This segmentation allows the network to maintain awareness of available CRLs through lightweight broadcasts while transferring only the necessary data portions when needed, reducing overall data overhead.
3Reliability
If nodes store multiple CRL versions to ensure availability during disconnection, then the availability of CRL information is improved, but device memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Nodes perform preliminary assessments of their disconnection patterns and pre-load only the CRL versions that are most likely to be needed during expected disconnection periods. This selective pre-loading based on preliminary analysis reduces memory requirements compared to storing all possible CRL versions.
Solution Approach 2:
Nodes dynamically adjust their CRL storage parameters (such as the number of versions to retain and the retention period) based on their observed disconnection patterns and network conditions. This parameter adaptation allows nodes to optimize memory usage while maintaining sufficient availability during disconnections.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for distributing Certificate Revocation List (CRL) information in an ad hoc network are provided. Ad hoc nodes in an ad hoc network can each transmit one or more certificate revocation list advertisement message(s) (CRLAM(s)). Each CRLAM includes an issuer certification authority (CA) field that identifies a certification authority (CA) that issued a particular certificate revocation list (CRL), a certificate revocation list (CRL) sequence number field that specifies a number that specifies the version of the particular certificate revocation list (CRL) that was issued by the issuer certification authority (CA). Nodes that receive the CRLAMs can then use the CRL information provided in the CRLAM to determine whether to retrieve the particular certificate revocation list (CRL).