Secure messaging for outage events

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a node device in a wireless network, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• while the node device is in a normal power mode, determining that the node device should shut down;
• and
• in response to determining that the node device should shut down and before shutting down the node device:
• transitioning the node device to a low power mode;
• transitioning a first memory of the node device from a normal power mode to a low power mode;
• and
• while the node device is in the low power mode:
• creating a status report;
• retrieving a first key that is stored in the first memory for securing messages in the low power mode, wherein a second key is stored in a key store for securing messages in the normal power mode;
• securing, using the first key, the status report;
• and
• transmitting the secured status report to a neighboring node device in the wireless network.

A networking device comprising:

• a transceiver;
• one or more processors;
• a first memory for storing keys;
• and
• one or more second memories storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
• detecting, while an operating mode of the networking device is a normal power mode, a condition associated with an outage;
• in response to detecting the condition, changing the operating mode of the network device and the first memory from the normal power mode to a low power mode;
• and
• while the operating mode of the networking device and the first memory is the low power mode:
• loading a first key from the first memory, wherein the first key is stored in the first memory for securing messages in the low power mode, and a second key is stored in a key store for securing messages in the normal power mode;
• securing, using the first key, an outage reporting message;
• and
• transmitting, using the transceiver, the secured outage reporting message to a second networking device.