Team for Research in
Ubiquitous Secure Technology

Citation
Sameer Pai, Marci Meingast, Tanya Roosta, Sergio Bermudez, Stephen Wicker, Deirdre K. Mulligan, Shankar Sastry. "Confidentiality in Sensor Networks: Transactional Information". IEEE Security and Privacy Magazine, 2008.

Abstract
In a sensor network environment, elements such as message rate, message size, mote frequency, and message routing can reveal information about the sensors deployed, frequency of events monitored, network topology, parties deploying the network, and location of subjects and objects moving through the networked space. Collectively, we refer to these elements as transactional data. Where the confidentiality of the content of the networks communications has been secured through encryption and authentication techniques, the ability of network outsiders and insiders to observe elements or the totality of this transactional data can also compromise network confidentiality. This paper describes four types of transactional data typically observable in sensor networks and discusses the information that can be derived through its observation and analysis. The paper argues that measures to limit the availability and utility of transactional data are essential to preserving confidentiality in sensor networks.

Electronic downloads

• HTML

  Sameer Pai, Marci Meingast, Tanya Roosta, Sergio Bermudez,
  Stephen Wicker, Deirdre K. Mulligan, Shankar Sastry. <a
  href="http://www.truststc.org/pubs/326.html"
  >Confidentiality in Sensor Networks: Transactional
  Information</a>, <i>IEEE Security and Privacy
  Magazine</i>,  2008.

• Plain text

  Sameer Pai, Marci Meingast, Tanya Roosta, Sergio Bermudez,
  Stephen Wicker, Deirdre K. Mulligan, Shankar Sastry.
  "Confidentiality in Sensor Networks: Transactional
  Information". <i>IEEE Security and Privacy
  Magazine</i>,  2008.

• BibTeX

  @article{PaiMeingastRoostaBermudezWickerMulliganSastry08_ConfidentialityInSensorNetworksTransactionalInformation,
      author = {Sameer Pai and Marci Meingast and Tanya Roosta and
                Sergio Bermudez and Stephen Wicker and Deirdre K.
                Mulligan and Shankar Sastry},
      title = {Confidentiality in Sensor Networks: Transactional
                Information},
      journal = {IEEE Security and Privacy Magazine},
      year = {2008},
      abstract = {In a sensor network environment, elements such as
                message rate, message size, mote frequency, and
                message routing can reveal information about the
                sensors deployed, frequency of events monitored,
                network topology, parties deploying the network,
                and location of subjects and objects moving
                through the networked space. Collectively, we
                refer to these elements as transactional data.
                Where the confidentiality of the content of the
                networks communications has been secured through
                encryption and authentication techniques, the
                ability of network outsiders and insiders to
                observe elements or the totality of this
                transactional data can also compromise network
                confidentiality. This paper describes four types
                of transactional data typically observable in
                sensor networks and discusses the information that
                can be derived through its observation and
                analysis. The paper argues that measures to limit
                the availability and utility of transactional data
                are essential to preserving confidentiality in
                sensor networks. },
      URL = {http://www.truststc.org/pubs/326.html}
  }
  

Posted by Sameer Pai on 30 Mar 2008.
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