Distributed Multicast Group Security Architecture for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Multicast communication is an efficient means to support key network applications such as real-time teleconferencing and data dissemination. In this paper we devise a security architecture for multicast communications in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Our design is both suitable in MANET environment and compliant to the IETF standard Multicast Group Security Architecture (MGSA) [1]. Because centralized servers are vulnerable to network dynamics and security attacks in a distributed MANET, we distribute the function of MGSA's Group Control Key Server (GCKS) to a dedicated subset of mobile backbone nodes in MANET. Unlike distributed GCKS nodes in stationary infrastructure networks, our GCKS backbone nodes are mobile, fully distributed and adaptive to network dynamics, in particular the constant and instant changes in network topology, node density and node mobility. We study the characteristics of our GCKS backbone design and its impacts on ad-hoc multicast security research. Our simulation study and Linux implementation confirm the effectiveness of the new MANET MGSA design.