Cryptography Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 8
Cross-Layer Security in
Wireless Sensor Networks
In This Chapter
• Introduction to cross-layer design in WSN
• Motivation for cross-layer design
• Cross-layer key distribution
8.1 Introduction
Recently, there has been a flurry of cross-layer design schemes being proposed in WSN.
As the fusion of secure networking and wireless communication occupies the center
stage in sensor networks, the traditional layered protocol architecture upon which most
of the networks form their basis is under scrutiny. Although, the layered approach has
been repeatedly used in wired networks, it has been argued that the same approach can-
not be directly applied in resource-constraint, wireless ad-hoc networks such as WSN.
Hence, to combat this approach, security researchers have proposed several cross-layer
design schemes in an ad-hoc environment (Shakkottai et al. 2003). Unlike the layering
approach, where protocols at each layer are designed independently, cross-layer designs
aim at exploiting the dependence between different protocol layers to achieve maximum
performance gains. In the current state of the art in the paradigm of cross-layer design
schemes in ad-hoc wireless networks, several diverse interpretations exist. One of the
main reasons for such varied explanations is that the design effort is largely dominated
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