A novel key pre-distribution scheme based on $\mu$-PBIBD combinatorial design in the resource-constrained IoT network

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new key pre-distribution scheme based on ${b5}$-PBIBD combinatorial design, enhancing security and key sharing in resource-limited IoT networks by increasing the number of shared keys between devices.

Contribution

The study presents the construction and application of ${b5}$-PBIBD combinatorial design for key pre-distribution, improving resilience over existing schemes in IoT networks.

Findings

More keys are shared between device pairs, up to q + 2 keys.

The scheme offers higher resilience compared to SBIBD, TD, and other designs.

Increased security and reduced overhead in resource-constrained IoT environments.

Abstract

In a resource-constrained IoT network, end nodes like WSN, RFID, and embedded systems are used which have memory, processing, and energy limitations. One of the key distribution solutions in these types of networks is to use the key pre-distribution scheme, which accomplishes the key distribution operation offline before the resource-constrained devices deployment in the environment. Also, in order to reduce the shared key discovery computing and communication overhead, the use of combinatorial design in key pre-distribution has been proposed as a solution in recent years. In this study, a ${\mu}$-PBIBD combinatorial design is introduced and constructed and the mapping of such design as a key pre-distribution scheme in the resource-constrained IoT network is explained. Through using such key pre-distribution scheme, more keys are obtained for communication between two devices in the IoT network. This means that there will be a maximum of q + 2 keys between the two devices in the network, where q is the prime power, that is, instead of having a common key for a direct secure connection, the two devices can have q + 2 common keys in their key chain. Accordingly, we would increase the resilience of the key pre-distribution scheme compared to the SBIBD, TD, Trade-KP, UKP *, RD * and 2-D ${\mu}$-PBIBD designs. Keywords: resource-constrained IoT network; combinatorial design; ${\mu}$-PBIBD; resilience.