A Canonical Seed Assignment Model for Key Predistribution in Wireless Sensor Networks

A promising solution for trust establishment in wireless sensor networks is the assignment of cryptographic seeds (keys, secrets, etc.) to sensor nodes prior to network deployment, known as key predistribution. In this article, we propose a canonical seed assignment model for key predistribution characterizing seed assignment in terms of the probability distribution describing the number of nodes receiving each seed and the algorithm for seed assignment. In addition, we present a sampling framework for seed assignment algorithms in the canonical model. We propose a probabilistic k-connectivity model for randomly deployed secure networks using spatial statistics and geometric random graph theory.We analyze key predistribution schemes in the canonical model in terms of network connectivity and resilience to node capture. The analytical results can be used to determine the average or worst-case connectivity or resilience to node capture for a key predistribution scheme. Furthermore, we demonstrate the design of new key predistribution schemes and the inclusion of existing schemes in the canonical model. Finally, we present a general approach to analyze the addition of nodes to an existing secure network and derive results for a well-known scheme.