A distributed anonymous authentication scheme for mobile ad hoc networks

This paper presents a distributed anonymous authentication scheme for MANET based on the technique of group signature, secret share and zero-knowledge proof. The scheme takes advantage of the distributed certificate management to solve the authentication and key management problems of MANET which is lack of fixed infrastructure. Meanwhile, the scheme adopts the efficient group signature presented by Camenisch and Stadler, achieved the anonymity in the process of authentication and public key transmission. In the case of a later dispute, the group manager can reveal the identity of node by opening its signature. Besides anonymity and traceability, the scheme also has the property of unforgeability and robustness.