System and method for secure ad hoc mobile communications and applications

• US 20050141706A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Drexel University
• Original Assignee: Drexel University
• Inventors: Regli, William C., Kam, Moshe
• Application Number:
  US11/025,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/16 Obfuscation or hiding, e.g. involving white box
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0836 using tree structure or hierarchical structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0841 involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A mobile agent system bridges applications and communications with next generation wireless and mobile ad hoc network infrastructures. A method utilizing middleware turns traditional applications and communications into network centric applications. Agent-based systems are used as a wrapper of existing legacy applications (or new applications that are network naive) and build methods of creating network aware agents. The network aware agents can adapt applications and communications to the changing network dynamics. An algorithmic technique divides private keys into multiple subkeys and distributes them to different nodes on a MANET using mobile agents. The mobile agents react to network dynamics to ensure that all of the requisite key components are kept within a suitable network distance from the host that owns them. Mobile agents can dynamically plan their information delivery routes to optimize any number of criteria: bandwidth impact, time, power, etc.

Claims

1. A method of developing and deploying an application or communication on a computer network comprising:

building a key through use of a contributory group key generating algorithm in conjunction with a key agreement protocol;

employing a messaging system for running the key agreement protocol;

using a mechanism for revoking the key from an agent, user, group, network or host.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contributory group key generating algorithm comprises at least one of GDH and TGDH.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the key agreement protocol comprises CLIQUES.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging system comprises at least one of Spread and Secure Spread.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mechanism for revoking the key comprises a SEM.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning the key to an agent, user, group, network or host.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer network comprises a mobile computer network.

8. A system for developing and deploying an application or communication on a computer network comprising:

a contributory group key generating algorithm in conjunction with a key agreement protocol for building a key;

a messaging system for running the key agreement protocol;

a mechanism for revoking the key from an agent, user, group, network or host.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the contributory group key generating algorithm comprises at least one of GDH and TGDH.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the key agreement protocol comprises CLIQUES.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the messaging system comprises at least one of Spread and Secure Spread.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the mechanism for revoking the key comprises a SEM.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a mechanism for assigning the key to an agent, user, group, network or host.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer network comprises a mobile computer network.

15. A system for developing and deploying a distributed application or communication on a dynamically changing computer network comprising:

a mechanism for deploying a mobile software agent with a rate of migration on at least one network; and

a mobile node.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile node acts as a temporary holder of software code.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the mobile agent is capable of migrating between mobile nodes.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the application or communication on the network is built using a mobile agent.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the application or communication built using the mobile agent is capable of adapting to changing network and security conditions.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile agent is network- and security-aware.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising a mechanism for building a collaborative application or communication using at least one mobile software agent.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the collaborative application or communication is fault-tolerant and distributed.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the collaborative application or communication does not require a central server.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein a state of the collaborative application or communication is stored on the network.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the collaborative application or communication implements at least one of audio and video streaming.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the collaborative application or communication implements a method of displaying a map.

27. The system of claim 16, further comprising a mechanism for generating a symmetric encryption key for a logical group of computer nodes, agents, hosts or users on the network.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein each agent, host, user or network node in the logical group is responsible for participating in the mechanism for generating the symmetric encryption key.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a mechanism for protecting a mobile host from a mobile software agent.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the mobile software agent is encrypted using the encryption key.

31. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile agent is capable of being a member of a logical group.

32. The system of claim 15, further comprising a mechanism for enabling communication with a low-power sensor network.

33. The system of claim 15, further comprising a deployed data logging sensor field capable of being downloaded using a pull protocol.

34. The system of claim 15, further comprising of a mechanism for disseminating Global Position System data via at least one mobile agent.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the disseminated Global Position System data is displayed on a collaborative application built using at least one mobile agent.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the disseminated Global Position System data is secured using an encrypted key.

37. The system of claim 18, further comprising a mechanism for revoking an agent, user, group, network or host from participating in a group generation process.

38. The system of claim 15, further comprising of a mechanism for modeling system performance.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the mechanism for modeling system performance comprises battery profiling.

40. The system of claim 15, further comprising a mechanism for providing a centralized view of the network or network topology.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein a user can see the centralized view of the network or network topology.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein a cryptographic logical group structure of the network is capable of being changed by the user.

43. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer network comprises a mobile computer network.

44. A method for developing and deploying a distributed application or communication on a dynamically changing computer network comprising:

deploying a mobile software agent with a rate of migration on at least one network; and

temporarily holding software code in a mobile node.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the mobile agent is capable of migrating between mobile nodes.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising building the application or communication on the network with a mobile agent.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the application or communication built using the mobile agent is capable of adapting to changing network and security conditions.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the mobile agent is network- and security-aware.

49. The method of claim 44, further comprising building a collaborative application or communication using at least one mobile software agent.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the collaborative application or communication is fault-tolerant and distributed.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the collaborative application or communication does not require a central server.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein a state of the collaborative application or communication is stored on the network.

53. The method of claim 51, further comprising implementing at least one of audio and video streaming in the collaborative application or communication.

54. The method of claim 51, further comprising implementing a method of displaying a map in the collaborative application or communication.

55. The method of claim 44, further comprising generating a symmetric encryption key for a logical group of computer nodes, agents, hosts or users on the network.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein each agent, host, user or network node in the logical group is responsible for participating in the mechanism for generating the symmetric encryption key.

57. The system of claim 55, further comprising protecting a mobile host from a mobile software agent.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising encrypting the mobile software agent through use of the encryption key.

59. The method of claim 44, wherein the mobile agent is capable of being a member of a logical group.

60. The method of claim 44, further comprising enabling communication with a low-power sensor network.

61. The method of claim 44, further comprising downloading a deployed data logging sensor field through use of a pull protocol.

62. The method of claim 44, further comprising disseminating Global Position System data via at least one mobile agent.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising displaying the disseminated Global Position System data on a collaborative application built using at least one mobile agent.

64. The method of claim 62, further comprising securing the disseminated Global Position System data through use of an encrypted key.

65. The method of claim 46, further comprising revoking an agent, user, group, network or host from participating in a group generation process.

66. The method of claim 44, further comprising modeling system performance.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein modeling system performance comprises battery profiling.

68. The method of claim 44, further comprising providing a centralized view of the network or network topology.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising displaying the centralized view of the network or network topology.

70. The method of claim 44, further comprising changing a cryptographic logical group structure of the network.

71. The method of claim 44, wherein the computer network comprises a mobile computer network.