Title: Standards for security associations in personal networks: a comparative analysis

Authors: J. Suomalainen, J. Valkonen, N. Asokan

Addresses: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Espoo, Finland. ' Department of Information and Computer Science, Helsinki University of Technology, P.O. Box 5400, FI-02015 TKK, Espoo, Finland. ' Nokia Research Center, P.O. Box 407, FI-00045 Nokia Group, Helsinki, Finland

Abstract: Introducing a new device to a network or to another device is one of the most security critical phases of communication in personal networks. It is particularly challenging to make this process of associating devices easy-to-use, secure and inexpensive at the same time. A cornerstone of this process is key establishment. In this paper, we first present a taxonomy of protocols for key establishment in personal networks as well as describe and analyse specific protocols. We then use this taxonomy in surveying and comparing association models proposed in several emerging standards from security, usability and implementability perspectives.

Keywords: security; personal networks; security associations; standards; Bluetooth; Wi-Fi; WUSB; HomePlugAV; comparative survey; attacks; key establishment; taxonomy; usability; implementability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSN.2009.023428

International Journal of Security and Networks, 2009 Vol.4 No.1/2, pp.87 - 100

Published online: 23 Feb 2009 *

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