Computer Sciences Seminar
Tuesday, May 27
12:30 PM, NAC 8/206

HARPS: HAshed Random Preloaded Subset Key Distribution - An Enabler for MANET Security

Mahalingam Ramkumar
Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY

Abstract

For many evolving applications involving resource constrained nodes forming ad hoc networks, there is a need for the nodes to implicitly trust each other. The enabler for this trust could be a key management scheme. Many restrictions are placed on such key management systems due to limited computational resources in the nodes, abscence of a trusted authority during normal course of operation, and need for scalability. HARPS is a simple and efficient key predistribution scheme which satisfies all requirements. HARPS is a generalization of two key predistribution schemes proposed earlier in literature. The first, SIMS (Secure Interaction of Mobile Strangers, 2003), was introduced by us recently. The second (LM) is a key predistribution scheme due to Leighton and Micali (1994). HARPS outperforms both schemes significantly.

Bio
Mahalingam Ramkumar is currently the Director of the SFS program on Cyber Security, and a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of CIS, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY. From Mar 2000 to Aug 2002 he was the co-founder and Chief Technology Ofiicer of PixWave Inc., developing a platform of secure and monitored distribution of digital video. He obtained his PhD from the Department of ECE, New Jersey Institute of Technology, in Jan 2000, and his MS from the Department of ECE, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, in Jan 1997. Between 1987 ans 1994, he served as an Electrical Officer in the Indian Navy. His research interests include MANET and sensor network security, efficient deployment of sensors in sensor networks, media security, steganography and steganalysis.