Mutual Authentication in Sensor Networks Using Neighboring Sink Lists
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Solution Overview
Problem
In sensor networks, mutual authentication between a node and a sink is inefficient due to the need for multiple hops to transfer information through a Base Station, leading to increased overhead and inconvenience when authenticated nodes move, especially in multi-hop environments.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for mutual authentication between a node and a sink using public keys, where nodes and sinks maintain neighboring sink lists to perform authentication directly without involving the Base Station, allowing re-authentication through previously authenticated sinks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If authentication is performed through a Base Station in a multi-hop sensor network, then mutual authentication between node and sink can be achieved, but the number of hops increases communication overhead and authentication time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sink as an intermediary that can perform authentication locally without requiring communication with the Base Station. When a node moves to a new sink's coverage area, the new sink can authenticate the node directly using authentication information obtained from the previous sink, eliminating the need for multi-hop communication through the Base Station and reducing authentication time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the authentication process into two parts: initial authentication with the Base Station, and subsequent re-authentication with local sinks. This segmentation allows the time-consuming Base Station authentication to occur only once, while faster local sink authentication handles node movements, reducing overall authentication time for mobile nodes.
2Reliability
If authentication information is transferred through multiple sinks to the Base Station, then node authentication can be performed, but communication overhead increases by geometric progression with the number of hops
Solution Approach 1:
The sink acts as a mediator that stores and forwards authentication information locally. When a node moves to a new sink, the authentication information is transferred directly between sinks rather than being routed through the Base Station. This eliminates redundant communication hops and reduces the geometric progression of overhead that would otherwise occur with multi-hop routing through the Base Station.
Solution Approach 2:
Sinks perform preliminary authentication and store authentication information in advance. When a node moves to a new sink, the authentication has already been performed or can be quickly verified using stored information, eliminating the need for repeated full authentication sequences and reducing communication overhead.
3Reliability
If a node repeatedly authenticates with the Base Station when moving between sinks, then authentication reliability is maintained, but the operation load of sensors increases
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication is performed in advance when a node first joins the network or when sinks establish connections. The authentication results are stored and reused when nodes move between sinks, eliminating the need for repeated authentication operations. This preliminary authentication approach maintains reliability while significantly reducing the operational load on mobile nodes with limited energy resources.
Solution Approach 2:
Sinks serve themselves by storing and sharing authentication information with neighboring sinks. When a node moves, the new sink can obtain authentication information from the previous sink directly, without requiring the node to re-authenticate with the Base Station. This self-service mechanism reduces the energy burden on mobile nodes while maintaining authentication reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed a system and method for mutual authentication between a node and a sink in a sensor network. At least one sink periodically creates a neighboring sink list including information on at least one adjacent sink, and the sink requests node authentication to a base station when receiving an authentication request from the node and transmits its own neighboring sink list to the node when the node authentication has been completed. When the node moves and requests authentication to another sink, the another sink stores a neighboring sink list received from the node, determines if a node-authenticable sink exists in its own neighboring sink list according to the authentication request, and requests re-authentication of the node to the node-authenticable sink when the node-authenticable sink exists, so that re-authentication between the node and the sink is easily performed.