Simultaneous Authentication of Equals: A Secure, Password-Based Key Exchange for Mesh Networks

  • Authors:

  • Dan Harkins

  • Affiliations:

  • -

  • Venue:
  • SENSORCOMM '08 Proceedings of the 2008 Second International Conference on Sensor Technologies and Applications
  • Year:
  • 2008

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Abstract

We propose a simple protocol for authentication using only a password. The result of the protocol is a cryptographically strong shared secret for securing other data-- e.g. network communication. SAE is resistant to passive attack, active attack, and dictionary attack. It provides a secure alternative to using certificates or when a centralized authority is not available. It is a peer-to-peer protocol, has no asymmetry, and supports simultaneous initiation. It is therefore well-suited for use in mesh networks. It supports the ability to tradeoff speed for strength of the resulting shared key. SAE has been implemented for 802.11-based mesh networks and can easily be adapted to other wireless mesh technology.