Data Routing via Time-Variant Contextual Trust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Insecure data routing in ad-hoc networks, particularly in sensor networks, where encryption is not always feasible or sufficient, and establishing trust between network components and hop nodes is challenging due to limited resources and varying data confidentiality levels.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for data routing through time-variant contextual trust, which determines the confidentiality level and availability of hop nodes, profiles their owners, and computes contextual trust to establish secure routing paths, considering factors like geographical mobility, communication latency, and sensitivity of data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is routed through multiple hop nodes in an ad-hoc network, then security is improved by preventing single-point compromise, but reliability deteriorates when only one path exists or all packets may be received by multiple hop nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of trust assessment from static to dynamic by introducing time-variant contextual trust values that update based on current network conditions, data sensitivity, and hop node behavior, enabling flexible routing decisions that adapt to changing security requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces trust intermediaries (hop nodes with established trust relationships) that mediate data transmission between source and destination, allowing secure multi-hop routing where each intermediary is vetted through contextual trust assessment rather than requiring direct secure channels
2Reliability
If encryption is applied to protect data in sensor networks, then security is improved, but device complexity increases due to limited resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing security measures selectively at specific locations in the network (trusted hop nodes) rather than requiring encryption at every sensor node, concentrating computational resources at intermediary nodes with greater processing capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses trusted hop nodes as intermediaries that handle security functions, allowing resource-constrained sensor nodes to offload encryption and decryption operations to intermediary nodes with sufficient computational resources
3Reliability
If trust is established between network component owners and hop node owners, then routing security is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to difficulty in assessing trust in dynamic ad-hoc networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making trust values time-variant and context-dependent, allowing trust assessments to adapt to changing network conditions, data sensitivity levels, and observed hop node behavior rather than relying on static pre-established trust relationships
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where trust values are continuously updated based on observed transmission success, data integrity verification, and hop node performance, allowing the system to learn and improve trust assessment accuracy over time
Data Source
AI summary
A method of data routing in a network through time-variant contextual trust includes: determining, by the network, a level and a nature of confidentiality of data to be transmitted from at least one network component to at least one recipient network component; determining, by the network, a time-variant availability of at least one hop node; determining, by the network, an owner of the at least one hop node and a profile of the owner of the at least one hop node; determining, by the network, a time-variant contextual trust between an owner of the at least one network component and the owner of the at least one hop node; and determining, by the network, a hop routing strategy for data routing.