Non-Interactive Key Establishment for Bundle Security Protocol of Space DTNs

To ensure the authenticity, integrity, and confidentiality of bundles, the in-transit Protocol Data Units of bundle protocol (BP) in space delay/disruption tolerant networks (DTNs), the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems bundle security protocol (BSP) specification suggests four IPsec style security headers to provide four aspects of security services. However, this specification leaves key management as an open problem. Aiming to address the key establishment issue for BP, in this paper, we utilize a time-evolving topology model and two-channel cryptography to design efficient and noninteractive key exchange protocol. A time-evolving model is used to formally model the periodic and predetermined behavior patterns of space DTNs, and therefore, a node can schedule when and to whom it should send its public key. Meanwhile, the application of two-channel cryptography enables DTN nodes to exchange their public keys or revocation status information, with authentication assurance and in a noninteractive manner. The proposed scheme helps to establish a secure context to support for BSP, tolerating high delays, and unexpected loss of connectivity of space DTNs.