Security in Sensor Networks
The rapid development of wireless technology in the last few years has created new interest in low-cost wireless sensor networks. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) or just sensor networks are grids or networks made of spatially distributed autonomous but co
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Introduction
The rapid development of wireless technology in the last few years has created new interest in low-cost wireless sensor networks. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) or just sensor networks are grids or networks made of spatially distributed autonomous but cooperating tiny devices called sensors, all of which have sensing capabilities that are used to detect, monitor, and track physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion, or pollutants, at different locations [1]. A sensor, similar to that in Fig. 19.1, is a small device that produces a measurable response to a change in a physical condition. Sensor nodes can be independently used to measure a physical quantity and to convert it into a signal that can be read by an observer or by an instrument [1]. The network may consist of just a few or thousands of tiny, mostly immobile, usually, randomly deployed nodes, covering a small or large geographic area. In many cases, sensor networks do not require predetermined positioning when they are randomly deployed making them viable for inaccessible terrains where they can quickly self-organize and form a network on the fly. The use of sensors to monitor physical or environmental conditions is not new. Sensors have been used in both mechanical and electrical systems for a long time. However, what is new and exciting is that the new sensor nodes are now fitted with onboard tiny processors forming a new class of sensors that have the ability to partially process the collected data before sending it to the fusing node or base station. The sensor nodes now also have sophisticated protocols that help in reducing the costs of communications among sensors and can implement complex power saving modes of operations depending on the environment and the state of the network [2]. The accuracy of the data gathered has also greatly improved. These recent advances have opened up the potential for WSN. According to David Culler et al. [3], wireless sensor networks could advance many scientific pursuits while providing a vehicle for enhancing various forms of productivity, including manufacturing, agriculture, construction, and transportation. In the # Springer International Publishing AG 2017 J.M. Kizza, Guide to Computer Network Security, Computer Communications and Networks, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-55606-2_19
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Fig. 19.1 A wireless sensor node
Sensing Module
Security in Sensor Networks
Central Unit (Memory, Processor)
Communication Module
Actuator
Power Source
military, they are good for command and control, intelligence, and surveillance. In health, they are beneficial in monitoring patients, and in commercial application they can be used in managing inventory, monitoring production lines and product quality, and monitoring areas prone to disasters [4]. New technologies are creating more powerful and yet smaller devices. This miniaturization trend is leading us to ubiquitous computing capacities that are exponentially faster and cheaper with each passin
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