AbstractsComputer Science

Sensor networks are just in their infancy. Their use will continue to grow as the technology becomes cheaper and more efficient. A current shortcoming with sensor networks is the inability to efficiently provide secure communications. As sensor networks are deployed to monitor and control systems, the security of communications will become a more important. This thesis proposes a new approach to key establishment and renewal through the use of point-to-point keys and software verification and validation to ensure the integrity of two nodes. Sensor networks exist on limited resources, so power efficiency is a concern. The proposed protocol allows for the use of small keys instead of large pre-distributed keys. This thesis explores the design and implementation of a new point-to-point key generation and renewal algorithm. The main contribution is the development of an algorithm that utilizes a software integrity check to ensure the validity of a node. The thesis also utilizes a simulated sensor network to test and validate the new software algorithm.