Authentic Vehicular Environment Using a Cluster Based Key Management

Security has become a prime concern in providing communication between mobile nodes in a hostile environment. Unlike wired networks, the unique characteristics of Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) pose a number of non-trivial challenges to security design. This paper presents a self organized public key management mechanism with a mobility based Clustering for Open Inter Vehicle Communication Networks (COIN). Nodes that have similar moving pattern are grouped into a cluster. Unlike other clustering algorithms, the diameter of clusters is not restricted to two hops. Instead, the diameters of clusters are flexible and determined by the stability of clusters. The stability of clusters is estimated based on relative mobility of cluster members. In this paper we have proposed an on demand self-organized, public key management for VANETs based on the existence of a web of trust between the vehicles forming the network. This web of trust mechanism works on top of the cluster to provide secure routing service.