Method for efficient message verification on resource-constrained platforms for real-time tracking applications

A method of processing packets in a security module of a node in a real-time tracking system, the security module receives messages from a transmitting entity via a communication module and passes verified messages to a tracking application module, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving via the communication module a plurality of messages, each message containing an identifier associated with the transmitting entity of the message;
• associating a respective identifier with a respective buffer;
• storing messages having a same identifier to an associated buffer;
• allocating memory space to the various buffers;
• selecting at least one message from each buffer;
• for each buffer, selecting a verification mode for the selected at least one message based on state variables and identifier-level properties of the identifier associated with that buffer;
• selecting a buffer for message verification based on state variables and identifier-level properties of all identifiers;
• verifying the selected at least one message from the selected buffer utilizing the selected verification mode;
• and
• updating the state variables and the identifier-level properties of all identifiers based on a result of the verification of the at least one message.