Design and Modeling of Secure Wireless Mesh Networks

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This proposal focuses on the design and modeling of secure wireless mesh networks(WMNs). The IEEE WMNs standard, 802.11s, is not mature enough to address security concerns of WMNs. To enhance the security of 802.11s WMNs, the first goal of this proposed research is to investigate methodologies of security and efficient techniques so as to make a single-operator WMNs secure and resilient to attacks. In this study, a generic security package will be studied to support fast authentication and exposure-resilient key management. A role-based access control model (RBAC) will be designed to support clients' authorization. A heterogeneity-aware framework for group key management will be studied for the single-operator WMNs. Future large-scale WMNs are expected to comprise numerous mesh networks, each administered by an independent network operator. Different network operators may collaborate to provide continuous connectivity to roaming users for supporting seamless services, such as voice-over-IP, e-conference, e-news, and online games. The second goal of the proposed research is to investigate methodologies of security techniques so as to make roaming in multi-operators WMNs seamless, secure, and efficient. To achieve this research objective, a new trust model is to be developed so that different mesh networks do not require establishing the roaming agreements and clients are no longer bound to any specific network operator. Instead, a client acquires a ticket from a third-party broker whereby to realize seamless roaming across mesh networks administrated by different operators. A secure and fast inter-operator handover scheme will be developed to support client's seamless crossing the boundary of mesh domain boundaries. A general role-based access control will be studied to ensure the authorization of mesh clients. An efficient billing protocol will be developed to foster node cooperation. This study, particularly the consideration and implementation of the fast handoff mechanism, and new trust- and role-based access control models, will be used as the direction and guidance for us to develop a systematic design methodology and to model wireless mesh networks for various applications.