SECAN-Lab

Interoperability Laboratory for Security in Ad-Hoc Networks

In the SECAN-Lab the research is targeted (as its name indicates) towards the area of interoperability- and security-aspects of spontaneously created and self-organized wireless networks (MANETs =Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks).
Because of the spontaneous character of Ad-Hoc networks without any centralized infrastructure, participants of such networks depend on the friendliness of their neighbours, if a communication to a distant device
is required. Security-mechanisms like encryption or PKIs are not suitable, if the delivery of data needs to be ensured. These technologies cannot guarantee the absence of malicious or unfair participants of the networks.
There are better ways to increase cooperation. Exclusion or motivation are two ways to go, but these techniques may have problems with definite identities. Therefore the SECAN-LAB focuses on trust-relations as a means to increase cooperation. Trust can be rated between direct neighbours as well as between devices in n-hop distance.
Other targets of research of the SECAN-Lab lie in the interoperability of 1:1-communications, the scalability of Ad-Hoc networks compared to its number of participants, the tolerance of the network to a certain amount of malicious and unfair participants and the linking of Ad-Hoc networks with wired LANs.
The lab sees its focus beside theoretical analysis and development of solutions also as a laboratory of practical experiences with newest mobile devices, especially for securing 1:1-communications in n-hop-distance.

Contact : Thomas Engel