Key distribution mechanism in secure ADS-B networks

Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) has been gaining attention as a replacement and strengthening of primary and secondary RADAR systems. Nevertheless, there have been several security concerns about this protocol because messages are sent in clear text, which makes it vulnerable to several attacks. In recent work, we addressed these concerns using a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) that provides ADS-B with integrity and authentication capabilities. In this paper, we further develop this concept by proposing a key distribution mechanism that provides the proper infrastructure for the added safety and security features. The proposed mechanism addresses several common usage scenarios, including those that arise from air space being shared by manned and unmanned aerial vehicles.