TinyPBC

WARNING: TinyPBC is now insecure if instantiated with the original parameters. Check https://eprint.iacr.org/2013/400 for details.

Keywords:

Cryptographic Key Distribution in Sensor Networks; Key Agreement; Identity-Based Cryptography; Identity-Based Encryption (IBE); Pairing-Based Cryptography (PBC); Security in Sensor Networks; Public Key Cryptosystem (PKC); SensorNets; Wireless Sensor Network (WSN); TinyOS, Motes; sensor nodes; Relic; Toolkit.

WSN Key Distribution Milestones (a not exhaustive list)

  • 2001: Symmetric End-to-End Security (Perrig et al.)
  • 2002: Symmetric End-to-End/Link Layer Security (Eschenauer & Gligor)
  • 2003: Symmetric Full Link Layer Security (Zhu et al., Liu et al, Du et al.)
  • 2004-2006: Computational feasibility of PKC (asymmetric) in WSNs (Watro et al, Gura et al., Malan et al., and Liu and Ning)
  • 2007: Fully feasibility (computation & key agreement/public key authentication) of PKC in WSNs (TinyPBC)

Evolution of pairing computation figures on WSNs

ηT pairing on the MICA2 mote using the ATmega128L, 80-bit security

ηT pairing on the Tmote Sky using the MSP430, 80-bit security

ηT pairing on the Imote2 using the PXA27x, 80-bit security

Implementation

2009: Szczechowiak et al.

2009: TinyPBC journal version

Time(s)

0.46

0.14

Publications

Code

  • TinyPBC (download) (requires a compiled version of the RELIC 0.2.1 toolkit);

TinyPBC is mainly based on the RELIC Toolkit and targets the ATmega128L processor, the MICA2 and MICAz motes' processor. It is written in both NesC language, compatible with TinyOS, and C only so that it can be run in AVRStudio or Avrora simulators as well. The RELIC homepage has instructions on how to download the code as well as build TinyPBC.

Extra

References on Wireless Sensor Network Security (bibtex style)