Method for combining authentication and secret keys management mechanism in a sensor network

A method for combining mechanisms of authentication and key management in a sensor network, comprising:

• 1) Pre-distributing keys, comprising:
• 1.1) pre-distributing communication keys, which comprises:
• prior to network deployment, pre-distributing the communication keys to nodes for establishing secure connection between the nodes;
• and
• 1.2) pre-distributing an initial broadcast message authentication key, which comprises:
• prior to network deployment, pre-distributing the initial key for authenticating a broadcast message to receiving nodes of the broadcast message;
• 2) performing authentication, comprising:
• 2.1) authenticating a node identity, which comprises:
• after network deployment, authenticating, by a communication node, legitimacy of a counterpart identity prior to communication, comprising after network deployment and prior to a node communication, performing pre-shared-key based authentication between the nodes based on a shared key, after establishment of the shared key between the nodes, wherein performing pre-shared-key based authentication comprises:
• a) generating a random number NA and sending the random number NA to a node B, by a node A;
• b) generating a random number NB, calculating a session key with the node A SK=F(PSK, NB∥NA), generating a message authentication code MAC1=H(SK, NB∥NA) by using the session key SK, constructing a message NB∥NA∥MAC1 and sending the massage NB∥NA∥MAC1 to the node A, by the node B;
• and
• c) checking, by the node A whether the random number NB in the message matches up with the random number sent to the node B;
• if the random number NB in the message does not match up with the random number sent to the node B, ending the authentication;
• and if the random number NB in the message matches up with the random number sent to the node B, calculating a session key with the node B SK=F(PSK, NB∥NA) and generating an authentication code MAC2=H(SK, NB∥NA) by using the session key SK=F(PSK, NB∥NA), by the node A, and when MAC2=MAC1, calculating MAC3=H(SK, NB) and constructing a message NB∥MAC3 and sending the massage NB∥MAC3 to the node B, by the node A;
• wherein PSK represents the pre-shared key, F represents a key generating algorithm, and H represents a one-way Hash function;
• and
• 2.2) authenticating the broadcast message, which comprises:
• after network deployment, if there is broadcast in the network, authenticating, by the receiving nodes of the broadcast message, legitimacy of the broadcast message;
• and
• 3) negotiating a session key between the nodes, comprising:
• after successfully authenticating the node identity, negotiating the session key between the nodes based on a result of the step of authenticating the node identity.