Trust Management in Unattended Wireless Sensor Networks using Geographic Hash Table and Subjective Logic-based Consensus

Problem Definition

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The existing trust management schemes in unattended wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) lack efficiency and robustness, especially when an online trusted third party is not available. This limitation hinders the proper functioning and security of UWSNs, leading to potential vulnerabilities and compromised data integrity. Traditional schemes designed for regular wireless sensor networks cannot adequately address the unique challenges presented by UWSNs, such as intermittent network connectivity and irregular sink visits. As a result, there is a pressing need for a novel approach to trust management in UWSNs that can provide high efficiency, robust trust data storage, and trust generation. The current schemes for trust management in UWSNs are unable to effectively handle fluctuations in trust caused by environmental factors, detect trust outliers, and mitigate trust pollution attacks.

These limitations can leave UWSNs vulnerable to security breaches and data manipulation. Therefore, there is a critical need for a new scheme that can address these challenges and enhance the overall performance and security of unattended wireless sensor networks. The proposed project titled "A Novel Approach to Trust Management in Unattended Wireless Sensor Networks" aims to develop a more efficient, scalable, and robust trust management scheme for UWSNs by utilizing a geographic hash table for trust data storage and employing subjective logic-based consensus techniques to mitigate trust fluctuations and attacks. Through simulation using NS-2, this project seeks to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed scheme over conventional techniques in terms of efficiency, scalability, and robustness.

Proposed Work

The proposed project titled "A Novel Approach to Trust Management in Unattended Wireless Sensor Networks" addresses the challenges faced by Unattended Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) which have intermittent connectivity and lack an online trusted third party for trust management. Existing trust management schemes designed for traditional Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) do not effectively apply to UWSNs, resulting in lower efficiency and robustness. To overcome these limitations, a new scheme is proposed in this project that leverages a geographic hash table for efficient trust data storage and generation, reducing storage costs. Additionally, a subjective logic-based consensus approach is used to address trust fluctuations caused by environmental factors, while trust outliers and pollution attacks are detected using trust similarity functions. Simulation studies conducted using NS-2 software confirm the proposed scheme's superior efficiency, scalability, and robustness compared to conventional techniques in the realm of wireless security and WSN research.

Application Area for Industry

The proposed project on a novel approach to trust management in unattended wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) has the potential to be applied in various industrial sectors, particularly those that rely on sensor networks for data collection and monitoring. Industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and smart cities can benefit from the improved efficiency, scalability, and robustness of the proposed trust management scheme. In agriculture, for example, UWSNs can be utilized for monitoring soil conditions, crop growth, and irrigation systems. The trust management scheme can help secure the data collected from these sensors, ensuring data integrity and preventing unauthorized access or manipulation. Similarly, in healthcare, UWSNs are used for remote patient monitoring and medical asset tracking.

The proposed scheme can enhance the security of these networks, safeguarding sensitive patient data and medical device information from cyber threats. Furthermore, the proposed solutions in the project address specific challenges faced by industries utilizing UWSNs, such as fluctuations in trust caused by environmental factors, trust outliers, and trust pollution attacks. By utilizing a geographic hash table for efficient trust data storage and employing subjective logic-based consensus techniques, the project aims to mitigate these challenges and enhance the overall performance and security of UWSNs. Implementing these solutions can result in increased trustworthiness of data collected from sensor networks, improved network reliability, and reduced vulnerability to security breaches. Overall, the project's proposed trust management scheme has the potential to revolutionize the way industries utilize UWSNs, providing a more secure and efficient approach to data collection and monitoring.

Application Area for Academics

The proposed project on "A Novel Approach to Trust Management in Unattended Wireless Sensor Networks" offers a unique opportunity for MTech and PhD students to engage in innovative research methods and simulations within the realm of wireless security and WSN-based projects. This project is highly relevant for researchers in the field of wireless technology and trust management, providing a comprehensive solution to the inefficiencies and vulnerabilities present in existing trust management schemes for UWSNs. MTech students and PhD scholars can utilize the code and literature of this project for their dissertation, thesis, or research papers, exploring the potential applications of the proposed scheme in enhancing the security and performance of unattended wireless sensor networks. By conducting simulations using NS-2 software, students can assess the efficiency, scalability, and robustness of the novel approach to trust management, thus furthering the field's understanding of UWSNs and contributing to advancements in wireless security research. The future scope of this project includes extending the proposed scheme to real-world UWSN deployments and exploring additional trust management techniques to address evolving security threats in wireless sensor networks.

Keywords

trust management, unattended wireless sensor networks, UWSNs, efficiency, robustness, online trusted third party, security, vulnerabilities, compromised data integrity, conventional techniques, geographic hash table, trust data storage, subjective logic-based consensus, trust fluctuations, trust outliers, trust pollution attacks, NS-2 simulation, wireless security, WSN research