NeTS: Small: Design and Initialization of Secure Wireless Networks: Foundations and Practice

University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

Wireless ad hoc networking has become a critical technology for nodes to communicate with each other in the absence of infrastructures such as base stations. It will be used in a variety of applications including wireless sensor networks, disaster recovery, and military on-the-field communications. Significant advances have been made in the area of wireless ad hoc networking at all levels of the protocol stack, MAC, routing, congestion control, etc., with an eye toward configuring networks so as to optimize metrics such as capacity, connectivity, delay, etc. However, there remain numerous issues that have not been satisfactorily dealt with, ranging from identifying network configurations to optimize emerging security metrics, to how to effect various desirable network configurations: namely, how does an ad hoc network bootstrap itself to realize the promised performance and security? We address this question in our research. Specifically we focus on the following: ? Wireless network security: Characterize the tradeoff between performance and security in opportunistic wireless networks where eavesdroppers and/or jammers are present, and develop algorithms for providing secure communication in such environments. ? Wireless Network configuration: Configure networks at the time of deployment, paying particular attention to facilitating the selection of "friendly jammers" and opportunistic relays as needed to enhance security. The outcome of this research will constitute a significant advance in the development of theoretical foundations, practical algorithms, and network architecture for configuring and securing wireless networks.