Abstract:

Aiming at the limited processing power, storage space, and energy of wireless sensor networks, we a design lightweight data encryption mechanism which improves the RC6 algorithm and adds in “symmetric layer” operation. The improved RC6 algorithm is easier to implement and the hardware resource consumption is smaller when the computational workload is not changed. In order to further increase the security of cipher texts and the intensity of data encryption, dual keys are applied to reencrypt the texts. In addition, a random key management mechanism is introduced, which makes the network nodes use different keys for each encryption. Thus, the security of the key is improved. Meanwhile the data encryption mechanism also adopts ID authentication and various kinds of security authentication mechanisms such as key pools with identity authentication to prevent access to illegal nodes. Based on the low power consumption CortexM3 core control chip, we design a wireless sensor network node hardware platform and a communication protocol, and the mechanism is transplanted and implemented on the hardware platform. Experimental results  reveal that the encryption mechanism can run well on the lowpower platform.

Key words: wireless sensor network, lightweight data encryption mechanism, symmetry layer, dual keys, random key management, lowpower