# Secure and Reconfigurable Network Design for Critical Information Dissemination in the Internet of Battlefield Things (IoBT)

## TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical framework for designing secure, reconfigurable IoBT networks that ensure reliable mission-critical data dissemination in battlefield conditions, addressing unique challenges like infrastructure absence and adversarial threats.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel integrated framework combining stochastic geometry and epidemiology theories to optimize secure and adaptable IoBT network design.

## Key findings

- Framework enables cost-effective network design.
- Enhances understanding of data dissemination under attack.
- Supports reconfiguration for battlefield resilience.

## Abstract

The Internet of things (IoT) is revolutionizing the management and control of automated systems leading to a paradigm shift in areas such as smart homes, smart cities, health care, transportation, etc. The IoT technology is also envisioned to play an important role in improving the effectiveness of military operations in battlefields. The interconnection of combat equipment and other battlefield resources for coordinated automated decisions is referred to as the Internet of battlefield things (IoBT). IoBT networks are significantly different from traditional IoT networks due to the battlefield specific challenges such as the absence of communication infrastructure, and the susceptibility of devices to cyber and physical attacks. The combat efficiency and coordinated decision-making in war scenarios depends highly on real-time data collection, which in turn relies on the connectivity of the network and the information dissemination in the presence of adversaries. This work aims to build the theoretical foundations of designing secure and reconfigurable IoBT networks. Leveraging the theories of stochastic geometry and mathematical epidemiology, we develop an integrated framework to study the communication of mission-critical data among different types of network devices and consequently design the network in a cost effective manner.