Towards a security framework for an established autonomous network

This paper focuses on the security of the Athens wireless metropolitan network (AWMN), which is an established autonomous network. More specifically, it presents and analyzes the possible security attacks that threaten AWMN, its users and the provided services. Attempting to counteract these attacks and the related risks, we study and evaluate the application of known security measures in AWMN that aim at providing authentication services. Authentication is the most vital property of secure communications. Finally, we propose and highlight an authentication model that satisfies the requirements of an autonomous network, like AWMN. The proposed model combines the Web of trust and free trust policy approach of the pretty good privacy (PGP) protocol and the non-infrastructure solution of the self-organized public-key management scheme.