Multi-level and group-based key management for mobile ad hoc networks

Mobile ad hoc networks have unique features, such as variable topology and lack of centralized management, therefore key management faces additional difficulty for deployed in this environment. In this paper, a (n, t, n) secret sharing method is applied towards a group-based mobile ad hoc networks architecture to provide authentication and key management services. All nodes participate in key pair generation as shareholders using a threshold secret sharing scheme. This group-based network consists of multi-level participants. The nodes in different levels have different identities. The node identity in a higher-level subset is different from the larger common group. In the subset, shared information is broadcast efficiently and securely without risk of eavesdropping from larger group.