LKHW: a directed diffusion-based secure multicast scheme for wireless sensor networks

Abstract

In this paper, we present a mechanism for securing group communications in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). First, we derive an extension of Logical Key Hierarchy (LKH). Then we merge the extension with directed dif- fusion. The resulting protocol, LKHW, combines the ad- vantages of both LKH and directed diusion: robustness in routing, and security from the tried and tested con- cepts of secure multicast. In particular, LKHW enforces both backward and forward secrecy, while incurring an energy cost that scales logarithmically with the group size. This is the first security protocol that leverages directed diusion, and we show how directed diusion can be extended to incorporate security in an ecient manner.