Secret Key Generation Rate vs. Reconciliation Cost Using Wireless Channel Characteristics in Body Area Networks

• Published in: 2010 IEEE/IFIP International Conference on Embedded and Ubiquitous Computing pp. 644 - 650
• Main Authors: Ali, S T, Sivaraman, V, Ostry, D
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-12-2010
• Subjects: Ad hoc networks; Body area networks; Communication system security; Legged locomotion; Mobile communication; secret key generation; Wireless communication; Wireless sensor networks
• ISBN: 1424497191; 9781424497195
• DOI: 10.1109/EUC.2010.103

In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of real time derivation of cryptographic keys in body area networks using unique characteristics of the underlying wireless channel. We perform experiments to confirm that motion does indeed provide significant highly correlated randomness on either end of the wireless link between base station and mobile mote to enable real-time key generation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that channel characteristics for a dynamic body area network consist of two different components, a fast and a slow component, each of which make a qualitatively different contribution to key generation. These components can be isolated to address specific needs of the application scenario: the fast component can yield high entropy keys at a fast rate between base station and mobile mote with some bit disagreement between the two devices, the slow component generates keys at a lower rate but with very high level of bit agreement. Our experimental results highlight this tradeoff, and our key generation protocol details the key extraction process.