Skip to main content
Log in

Evaluating Authentication Schemes for Real-Time Data in Wireless Sensor Network

  • Published:
Wireless Personal Communications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There have been discussed many user authentication schemes for wireless sensor networks. This paper intends to review the existing authentication techniques for their pros and cons. The techniques are primarily classified on the basis of factors used therein that include one-factor, two-factor, and three-factor schemes. Twelve architecture models on which various authentication schemes are based. The pros and cons of models are also discussed. The security and functionality feature is also used as criteria for evaluation metrics. In this paper, we have also considered various one-factor, two-factor and three-factor authentication scheme. The communication, computation cost, security feature and the security tool are the most important criteria for comparing the authentication techniques. This whole analysis can be used by other researchers to design their own authentication schemes considering the stated criteria.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wong, K. H., Zheng, Y., Cao, J., & Wang, S.(2006). A dynamic user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. In IEEE international conference on sensor networks, ubiquitous, and trustworthy computing (Vol. 1, pp. 8–12).

  2. Tseng, H. R., Jan, R. H., & Yang, W.(2007). An improved dynamic user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. In IEEE international conference on global telecommunications (GLOBECOM) (pp. 986–990).

  3. Watro, R., Kong, D., Cuti, S. F., Gardiner, C., Lynn, C., & Kruus, P. (2004). TinyPK: Securing sensor networks with public key technology. In Proceedings of the 2nd ACM workshop on security of ad hoc and sensor networks (pp. 59–64).

  4. Wang, H., Sheng, B., & Li, Q. (2006). Elliptic curve cryptography-based access control in sensor networks. International Journal of Security and Networks, 1(3), 127–137.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Le, X. H., Lee, S., Butun, I., Khalid, M., Sankar, R., Kim, M., et al. (2009). An energy-efficient access control scheme for wireless sensor networks based on elliptic curve cryptography. Journal of Communications and Networks, 11(6), 599–606.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Das, M. L. (2009). Two-factor user authentication in wireless sensor networks. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 8(3), 1086–1090.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Nyang, D., & Lee, M. K. (2009). Improvement of Das’s two-factor authentication protocol in wireless sensor networks. IACR Cryptology ePrint Archive, 1–5.

  8. Chen, T. H., & Shih, W. K. (2010). A robust mutual authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks. ETRI Journal, 32(5), 704–712.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Khan, M. K., & Alghathbar, K. (2010). Cryptanalysis and security improvements of two-factor user authentication in wireless sensor networks. Sensors, 10(3), 2450–2459.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Huang, H. F., Chang, Y. F., & Liu, C. H. (2010). Enhancement of two-factor user authentication in wireless sensor networks. In IEEE conference on intelligent information hiding and multimedia signal processing (IIH-MSP) (pp. 27–30).

  11. He, D., Gao, Y., Chan, S., Chen, C., & Bu, J. (2010). An enhanced two-factor user authentication scheme in wireless sensor networks. Ad Hoc & Sensor Wireless Networks, 10(4), 361–371.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Vaidya, B., Makrakis, D., & Mouftah, H. T. (2010). Improved two-factor user authentication in wireless sensor networks. In IEEE international conference on wireless and mobile computing, networking and communications (WiMob) (pp. 600–606).

  13. Fan, R., Ping, L. D., Fu, J. Q., & Pan, X. Z. (2010). A secure and efficient user authentication protocol for two-tiered wireless sensor networks. In IEEE conference on circuits, communications and system (PACCS) (Vol. 1, pp. 425–428).

  14. Vaidya, B., Makrakis, D., & Mouftah, H. (2016). Two-factor mutual authentication with key agreement in wireless sensor networks. Security and Communication Networks, 9(2), 171–183.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fan, R., He, D. J., & Pan, X. Z. (2011). An efficient and DoS-resistant user authentication scheme for two-tiered wireless sensor networks. Journal of Zhejiang University Science, 12(7), 550–560.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Al-Mahmud, A., & Morogan, M. C. (2012). Identity-based authentication and access control in wireless sensor networks. International Journal of Computer Applications, 41(13), 18–24.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Das, A. K., Sharma, P., Chatterjee, S., & Sing, J. K. (2012). A dynamic password-based user authentication scheme for hierarchical wireless sensor networks. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 35(5), 1646–1656.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kumar, P., Lee, S. G., & Lee, H. J. (2012). E-SAP: Efficient-strong authentication protocol for healthcare applications using wireless medical sensor networks. Sensors, 12(2), 1625–1647.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Sun, D. Z., Li, J. X., Feng, Z. Y., Cao, Z. F., & Xu, G. Q. (2013). On the security and improvement of a two-factor user authentication scheme in wireless sensor networks. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 17(5), 895–905.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yoo, S. G., Park, K. Y., & Kim, J. (2012). A security-performance-balanced user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, 8(3), 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  21. He, D., Kumar, N., Chen, J., Lee, C. C., Chilamkurti, N., & Yeo, S. S. (2015). Robust anonymous authentication protocol for health-care applications using wireless medical sensor networks. Multimedia Systems, 21(1), 49–60.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Xue, K., Ma, C., Hong, P., & Ding, R. (2013). A temporal-credential-based mutual authentication and key agreement scheme for wireless sensor networks. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 36(1), 316–323.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Chatterjee, S., Das, A. K., & Sing, J. K. (2014). A novel and efficient user access control scheme for wireless body area sensor networks. Journal of King Saud University-Computer and Information Sciences, 26(2), 181–201.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Shi, W., & Gong, P. (2013). A new user authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks using elliptic curves cryptography. International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, 9(4), 831–851.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Turkanovic, M., & Holbl, M. (2013). An improved dynamic password-based user authentication scheme for hierarchical wireless sensor networks. Elektronika ir Elektrotechnika, 19(6), 109–116.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Li, C. T., Weng, C. Y., & Lee, C. C. (2013). An advanced temporal credential-based security scheme with mutual authentication and key agreement for wireless sensor networks. Sensors, 13(8), 9589–9603.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Hseih, W. B., & Leu, J. S. (2013). A robust user authentication scheme using dynamic identity in wireless sensor networks. Wireless Personal Communication, 77(2), 979–989.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Chatterjee, S., & Das, A. K. (2015). An effective ECC-based user access control scheme with attribute-based encryption for wireless sensor networks. Security and Communication Networks, 8(9), 1752–1771.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Nam, J., Kim, M., Paik, J., Lee, Y., & Won, D. (2014). A provably-secure ECC-based authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. Sensors, 14(11), 21023–21044.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Choi, Y., Lee, D., Kim, J., Jung, J., Nam, J., & Won, D. (2014). Security enhanced user authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks using elliptic curves cryptography. Sensors, 14(6), 10081–10106.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Turkanović, M., Brumen, B., & Hölbl, M. (2014). A novel user authentication and key agreement scheme for heterogeneous ad hoc wireless sensor networks, based on the internet of things notion. Ad Hoc Networks, 20, 96–112.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Khan, M. K., & Kumari, S. (2014). An improved user authentication protocol for healthcare services via wireless medical sensor networks. International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, 10(4), 347169.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Deebak, B. D. (2016). Secure and efficient mutual adaptive user authentication scheme for heterogeneous wireless sensor networks using multimedia client–server systems. Wireless Personal Communications, 87(3), 1013–1035.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Wu, F., Xu, L., Kumari, S., & Li, X. (2017). An improved and anonymous two-factor authentication protocol for health-care applications with wireless medical sensor networks. Multimedia Systems, 23(2), 195–205.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Farash, M. S., Turkanović, M., Kumari, S., & Hölbl, M. (2016). An efficient user authentication and key agreement scheme for heterogeneous wireless sensor network tailored for the internet of things environment. Ad Hoc Networks, 36, 152–176.

    Google Scholar 

  36. He, D., Kumar, N., & Chilamkurti, N. (2015). A secure temporal-credential-based mutual authentication and key agreement scheme with pseudo identity for wireless sensor networks. Information Sciences, 321, 263–277.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Kalra, S., & Sood, S. K. (2015). Advanced password based authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. Journal of Information Security and Applications, 20, 37–46.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Jiang, Q., Ma, J., Lu, X., & Tian, Y. (2015). An efficient two-factor user authentication scheme with unlinkability for wireless sensor networks. Peer-to-Peer Networking and Applications, 8(6), 1070–1081.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Kumari, S., Das, A. K., Wazid, M., Li, X., Wu, F., Choo, K. K. R., et al. (2017). On the design of a secure user authentication and key agreement scheme for wireless sensor networks. Concurrency and Computation: Practice and Experience, 29(23), 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Jiang, Q., Kumar, N., Ma, J., Shen, J., He, D., & Chilamkurti, N. (2017). A privacy-aware two-factor authentication protocol based on elliptic curve cryptography for wireless sensor networks. International Journal of Network Management, 27(3), 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Wu, F., Xu, L., Kumari, S., & Li, X. (2017). A privacy-preserving and provable user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks based on internet of things security. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 8(1), 101–116.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Jung, J., Kim, J., Choi, Y., & Won, D. (2016). An anonymous user authentication and key agreement scheme based on a symmetric cryptosystem in wireless sensor networks. Sensors, 16(8), 1299.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Jiang, Q., Ma, J., Wei, F., Tian, Y., Shen, J., & Yang, Y. (2016). An untraceable temporal-credential-based two-factor authentication scheme using ECC for wireless sensor networks. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 76, 37–48.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Amin, R., & Biswas, G. P. (2016). A secure light weight scheme for user authentication and key agreement in multi-gateway based wireless sensor networks. Ad Hoc Networks, 36, 58–80.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Amin, R., Islam, S. H., Biswas, G. P., Khan, M. K., & Kumar, N. (2018). A robust and anonymous patient monitoring system using wireless medical sensor networks. Future Generation Computer Systems, 80, 483–495.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Chang, C. C., & Le, H. D. (2016). A provably secure, efficient, and flexible authentication scheme for ad hoc wireless sensor networks. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 15(1), 357–366.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  47. Kumari, S., Li, X., Wu, F., Das, A. K., Arshad, H., & Khan, M. K. (2016). A user friendly mutual authentication and key agreement scheme for wireless sensor networks using chaotic maps. Future Generation Computer Systems, 63, 56–75.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Kumari, S., & Om, H. (2016). Authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks applications like safety monitoring in coal mines. Computer Networks, 104, 137–154.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Gope, P., & Hwang, T. (2016). A realistic lightweight anonymous authentication protocol for securing real-time application data access in wireless sensor networks. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 63(11), 7124–7132.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Singh, A., Awasthi, A. K., & Singh, K. (2017). Cryptanalysis and improvement in user authentication and key agreement scheme for wireless sensor network. Wireless Personal Communications, 94(3), 1881–1898.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Wu, F., Li, X., Sangaiah, A. K., Xu, L., Kumari, S., Wu, L., et al. (2018). A lightweight and robust two-factor authentication scheme for personalized healthcare systems using wireless medical sensor networks. Future Generation Computer Systems, 82, 727–737.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Yu, H., & Wang, L. (2019). A security-enhanced mutual authentication scheme with privacy protected in wireless sensor networks. Cluster Computing, 22(3), 7389–7399.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Wu, F., Xu, L., Kumari, S., Li, X., Shen, J., Choo, K. K. R., et al. (2017). An efficient authentication and key agreement scheme for multi-gateway wireless sensor networks in IoT deployment. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 89, 72–85.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Tai, W. L., Chang, Y. F., & Li, W. H. (2017). An IOT notion–based authentication and key agreement scheme ensuring user anonymity for heterogeneous ad hoc wireless sensor networks. Journal of Information Security and Applications, 34, 133–141.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Li, X., Ibrahim, M. H., Kumari, S., Sangaiah, A. K., Gupta, V., & Choo, K. K. R. (2017). Anonymous mutual authentication and key agreement scheme for wearable sensors in wireless body area networks. Computer Networks, 129, 429–443.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Wu, F., Xu, L., Kumari, S., & Li, X. (2017). A new and secure authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks with formal proof. Peer-to-Peer Networking and Applications, 10(1), 16–30.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Srinivas, J., Mishra, D., & Mukhopadhyay, S. (2017). A mutual authentication framework for wireless medical sensor networks. Journal of Medical Systems, 41(5), 80.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Kumar, D., Chand, S., & Kumar, B. (2019). Cryptanalysis and improvement of an authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks applications like safety monitoring in coal mines. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 10(2), 641–660.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Shin, S., & Kwon, T. (2018). Two-factor authenticated key agreement supporting unlinkability in 5G-integrated wireless sensor networks. IEEE Access, 6, 11229–11241.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Yuan, J., Jiang, C., & Jiang, Z. (2010). A biometric-based user authentication for wireless sensor networks. Wuhan University Journal of Natural Sciences, 15(3), 272–276.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Das, A. K., & Bruhadeshwar, B. (2013). A biometric-based user authentication scheme for heterogeneous wireless sensor networks. In IEEE international conference on advanced information networking and applications workshops (WAINA) (pp. 291–296).

  62. Das, A. K. (2016). A secure and robust temporal credential-based three-factor user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. Peer-to-Peer Networking and Applications, 9(1), 223–244.

    Google Scholar 

  63. Das, A. K. (2017). A secure and effective biometric-based user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks using smart card and fuzzy extractor. International Journal of Communication Systems, 30(1), 1–25.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  64. Das, A. K. (2015). A secure and efficient user anonymity-preserving three-factor authentication protocol for large-scale distributed wireless sensor networks. Wireless Personal Communications, 82(3), 1377–1404.

    Google Scholar 

  65. Li, X., Niu, J., Kumari, S., Liao, J., Liang, W., & Khan, M. K. (2016). A new authentication protocol for healthcare applications using wireless medical sensor networks with user anonymity. Security and Communication Networks, 9(15), 2643–2655.

    Google Scholar 

  66. Amin, R., Islam, S. H., Biswas, G. P., Khan, M. K., Leng, L., & Kumar, N. (2016). Authenticated key exchange protocol for wireless sensor networks. Computer Networks, 101, 42–62.

    Google Scholar 

  67. Das, A. K., Sutrala, A. K., Kumari, S., Odelu, V., Wazid, M., & Li, X. (2016). An efficient multi-gateway-based three-factor user authentication and key agreement scheme in hierarchical wireless sensor networks. Security and Communication Networks, 9(13), 2070–2092.

    Google Scholar 

  68. Wu, F., Xu, L., Kumari, S., & Li, X. (2018). An improved and provably secure three-factor user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. Peer-to-Peer Networking and Applications, 11(1), 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  69. Das, A. K., Sutrala, A. K., Odelu, V., & Goswami, A. (2017). A secure smartcard-based anonymous user authentication scheme for healthcare applications using wireless medical sensor networks. Wireless Personal Communications, 94(3), 1899–1933.

    Google Scholar 

  70. Srinivas, J., Mukhopadhyay, S., & Mishra, D. (2017). Secure and efficient user authentication scheme for multi-gateway wireless sensor networks. Ad Hoc Networks, 54, 147–169.

    Google Scholar 

  71. Park, Y., & Park, Y. (2016). Three-factor user authentication and key agreement using elliptic curve cryptosystem in wireless sensor networks. Sensors, 16(12), 2123.

    Google Scholar 

  72. Vorugunti, C. S., Mishra, B., Amin, R., Badoni, R. P., Sarvabhatla, M., & Mishra, D. (2017). Improving security of lightweight authentication technique for heterogeneous wireless sensor networks. Wireless Personal Communications, 95(3), 3141–3166.

    Google Scholar 

  73. Jung, J., Moon, J., Lee, D., & Won, D. (2017). Efficient and security enhanced anonymous authentication with key agreement scheme in wireless sensor networks. Sensors, 17(3), 644.

    Google Scholar 

  74. Jiang, Q., Zeadally, S., Ma, J., & He, D. (2017). Lightweight three-factor authentication and key agreement protocol for internet-integrated wireless sensor networks. IEEE Access, 5, 3376–3392.

    Google Scholar 

  75. Ali, R., Pal, A. K., Kumari, S., Karuppiah, M., & Conti, M. (2018). A secure user authentication and key-agreement scheme using wireless sensor networks for agriculture monitoring. Future Generation Computer Systems, 84, 200–215.

    Google Scholar 

  76. Li, X., Niu, J., Kumari, S., Wu, F., Sangaiah, A. K., & Choo, K. K. R. (2018). A three-factor anonymous authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks in internet of things environments. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 103, 194–204.

    Google Scholar 

  77. Challa, S., Das, A. K., Odelu, V., Kumar, N., Kumari, S., Khan, M. K., et al. (2017). An efficient ECC-based provably secure three-factor user authentication and key agreement protocol for wireless healthcare sensor networks. Computers & Electrical Engineering, 69, 534–554.

    Google Scholar 

  78. Mishra, D., Vijayakumar, P., Sureshkumar, V., Amin, R., Islam, S. H., & Gope, P. (2018). Efficient authentication protocol for secure multimedia communications in IoT-enabled wireless sensor networks. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 77(14), 18295–18325.

    Google Scholar 

  79. Lu, Y., Xu, G., Li, L., & Yang, Y. (2019). Anonymous three-factor authenticated key agreement for wireless sensor networks. Wireless Networks, 25(4), 1461–1475.

    Google Scholar 

  80. Sutrala, A. K., Das, A. K., Kumar, N., Reddy, A. G., Vasilakos, A. V., & Rodrigues, J. J. (2018). On the design of secure user authenticated key management scheme for multigateway-based wireless sensor networks using ECC. International Journal of Communication Systems, 31(8), 1–31.

    Google Scholar 

  81. Amin, R., Islam, S. H., Kumar, N., & Choo, K. K. R. (2018). An untraceable and anonymous password authentication protocol for heterogeneous wireless sensor networks. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 104, 133–144.

    Google Scholar 

  82. Vaidya, B., Rodrigues, J. J., & Park, J. H. (2010). User authentication schemes with pseudonymity for ubiquitous sensor network in NGN. International Journal of Communication Systems, 23(10), 1201–1222.

    Google Scholar 

  83. Yeh, H. L., Chen, T. H., Liu, P. C., Kim, T. H., & Wei, H. W. (2011). A secured authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks using elliptic curves cryptography. Sensors, 11(5), 4767–4779.

    Google Scholar 

  84. Ko, L. C. (2008). A novel dynamic user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks. In IEEE international symposium on wireless communication systems (pp. 608–612).

  85. Althobaiti, O., Al-Rodhaan, M., & Al-Dhelaan, A. (2013). An efficient biometric authentication protocol for wireless sensor networks. International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, 9(5), 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  86. Lee, T. H. (2008). Simple dynamic user authentication protocols for wireless sensor networks. In IEEE international conference on sensor technologies and applications (sensorcomm) (pp. 657–660).

  87. Yang, S. K., Shiue, Y. M., Su, Z. Y., Liu, I. H., & Liu, C. G. (2020). An authentication information exchange scheme in WSN for IoT applications. IEEE Access, 8, 9728–9738.

    Google Scholar 

  88. Chang, I. P., Lee, T. F., Lin, T. H., & Liu, C. M. (2015). Enhanced two-factor authentication and key agreement using dynamic identities in wireless sensor networks. Sensors, 15(12), 29841–29854.

    Google Scholar 

  89. Singh, D., Kumar, B., Singh, S., & Chand, S. (2019). SMAC-AS: MAC based secure authentication scheme for wireless sensor network. Wireless Personal Communications, 107(2), 1289–1308.

    Google Scholar 

  90. Jin, A. T. B., Ling, D. N. C., & Goh, A. (2004). Biohashing: Two factor authentication featuring fingerprint data and tokenised random number. Pattern Recognition, 37(11), 2245–2255.

    Google Scholar 

  91. Vigano, L. (2006). Automated security protocol analysis with the AVISPA tool. Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science, 155, 61–86.

    Google Scholar 

  92. Burrows, M., Abadi, M., & Needham, R. M. (1989). A logic of authentication. Proceedings of the royal society of London. A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 426(1871), 233–271.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deepti Singh.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Singh, D., Kumar, B., Singh, S. et al. Evaluating Authentication Schemes for Real-Time Data in Wireless Sensor Network. Wireless Pers Commun 114, 629–655 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-020-07385-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-020-07385-0

Keywords

Navigation