3rd International ICST Conference on Body Area Networks

Research Article

Joint Encryption/Multiple Access for Body Area Sensor Networks

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/ICST.BODYNETS2008.2993,
        author={Walter D. Leon-Salas and Yugyung Lee and Deep Medhi},
        title={Joint Encryption/Multiple Access for Body Area Sensor Networks},
        proceedings={3rd International ICST Conference on Body Area Networks},
        publisher={ICST},
        proceedings_a={BODYNETS},
        year={2010},
        month={5},
        keywords={Body area sensor networks security spread spectrum.},
        doi={10.4108/ICST.BODYNETS2008.2993}
    }
    
  • Walter D. Leon-Salas
    Yugyung Lee
    Deep Medhi
    Year: 2010
    Joint Encryption/Multiple Access for Body Area Sensor Networks
    BODYNETS
    ICST
    DOI: 10.4108/ICST.BODYNETS2008.2993
Walter D. Leon-Salas1,*, Yugyung Lee1,*, Deep Medhi1,*
  • 1: CSEE Department, University of Missouri-Kansas City, USA
*Contact email: leonsalasw@umkc.edu, leeyu@umkc.edu, dmedhi@umkc.edu

Abstract

This paper addresses the security of the radio link in body area sensor networks (BASNs). Given that the well be- ing of a person or its privacy can be compromised, secu- rity in a BASN is of utmost importance. In this work, we take a joint encryption/multiple access approach. We use a direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) multiple access technique to share a radio channel between multiple sensor nodes. Unlike standard DSSS techniques, in this work, the pseudo-noise (PN) code employed to spread the transmitted signal is changed on a bit-by-bit basis. This new PN code is generated by a non-linear feedback register. The register is initialized with a secret key. Not two radio links may use the same key at any given moment. The nodes begin communi- cation with each other by employing a publicly known PN code assignment. They exchange keys using the public PN codes and then switch into the non-linear, non-repeating PN code generation. The proposed method has the advantage of simultaneously securing the radio link and providing a means for different sensors to share the same radio channel. This joint approach results in circuit complexity and power savings.