Providing Location Security in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Location is fundamental information in Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs). Almost all VANET applications rely on location information. Therefore it is of importance to ensure location information integrity, meaning that location information is original (from the generator), correct (not bogus or fabricated) and unmodified (value not changed). We present validation mechanisms to provide location integrity for VANETs. In the initial mechanism, we assume that all vehicles are equipped with a radar, a GPS receiver, and a transceiver. Since radar has a limited radar range and transceiver has a limited transmission range, we build network cells as a security unit as well as a communication unit. To ensure the intra-cell position information integrity, we propose an active validation mechanism (called active location integrity) that actively validates and enhances position security by enlisting the help of on-board radar to detect neighboring vehicles and to confirm their announced coordinates. Since radar is not currently installed in many vehicles, we weak the assumption by removing radar from the vehicle\u27s equipments and propose the second mechanism (called passive location integrity) that maintains the mobility history records of vehicles, called the Map History. Based on a vehicle\u27s Map History, we can predict a region where the vehicle will be present. The predicted region can be used to validate the announced position. In reality, vehicles are deployed with different combinations of equipment and some old vehicles may not have these devices. We address a validation mechanism (called general location integrity) which filtered and refined the location measurements obtained by the above active and passive location integrity methods. The three mechanisms above provide intra-cell position information integrity. Since applications often involve position information of remote vehicles or entities which are beyond a cell (ranging to miles), we provide inter-cell position integrity as well. Vehicles request that neighbors or opposite-side vehicles check the announced position information of remote vehicles. Both the request and response messages will be propagated among cells. Because of the high mobility of vehicles, the routing path is fragile. To improve location availability, we propose a stable routing scheme which will select and maintain stable routing paths. Both selection and maintenance of routing paths are based on a proposed probability analysis of VANET links. In addition, plaintext location information, especially aggregated location information, is vulnerable to attack as an attacker could easily modify the location information and harm the location integrity. We propose both encryption/decryption and access control mechanisms to provide location information confidentiality. The aggregated position message is encrypted by a key which is a geographic location which specifies a decryption region. Vehicles have to be physically present in the specified decryption region to decrypt or access the aggregated position information. As we can ensure the position information confidentiality, integrity, and availability, we achieve position information security based on the security requirements outlined in the CIA model (confidentiality, integrity, and availability)

Location Spoofing Detection for VANETs by a Single Base Station in Rician Fading Channels

In this work we examine the performance of a Location Spoofing Detection System (LSDS) for vehicular networks in the realistic setting of Rician fading channels. In the LSDS, an authorized Base Station (BS) equipped with multiple antennas utilizes channel observations to identify a malicious vehicle, also equipped with multiple antennas, that is spoofing its location. After deriving the optimal transmit power and the optimal directional beamformer of a potentially malicious vehicle, robust theoretical analysis and detailed simulations are conducted in order to determine the impact of key system parameters on the LSDS performance. Our analysis shows how LSDS performance increases as the Rician K-factor of the channel between the BS and legitimate vehicles increases, or as the number of antennas at the BS or legitimate vehicle increases. We also obtain the counter-intuitive result that the malicious vehicle's optimal number of antennas conditioned on its optimal directional beamformer is equal to the legitimate vehicle's number of antennas. The results we provide here are important for the verification of location information reported in IEEE 1609.2 safety messages.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Added further clarification on constraints imposed on the detection minimization strategy. Minor typos fixe

Optimal Information-Theoretic Wireless Location Verification

We develop a new Location Verification System (LVS) focussed on network-based Intelligent Transport Systems and vehicular ad hoc networks. The algorithm we develop is based on an information-theoretic framework which uses the received signal strength (RSS) from a network of base-stations and the claimed position. Based on this information we derive the optimal decision regarding the verification of the user's location. Our algorithm is optimal in the sense of maximizing the mutual information between its input and output data. Our approach is based on the practical scenario in which a non-colluding malicious user some distance from a highway optimally boosts his transmit power in an attempt to fool the LVS that he is on the highway. We develop a practical threat model for this attack scenario, and investigate in detail the performance of the LVS in terms of its input/output mutual information. We show how our LVS decision rule can be implemented straightforwardly with a performance that delivers near-optimality under realistic threat conditions, with information-theoretic optimality approached as the malicious user moves further from the highway. The practical advantages our new information-theoretic scheme delivers relative to more traditional Bayesian verification frameworks are discussed.Comment: Corrected typos and introduced new threat model

Developing and Applying Smartphone Apps in Online Courses

Online courses provide students flexible access to class at anytime and anywhere. Most online courses currently rely on computer-based delivery. However, computers still burden instructors and students with limited mobility and flexibility. To provide more convenient access to online courses, smartphones have been increasingly adopted as a mobile method to access online courses. In this paper, we share our practical experience in designing and developing a smartphone platform for accessing online courses. The main contributions of this paper include: 1) we present the main technical issues of applying smartphones to online courses; 2) we discuss several key factors of designing, developing and delivering online courses that support smartphone access

Location Verification Systems Under Spatially Correlated Shadowing

The verification of the location information utilized in wireless communication networks is a subject of growing importance. In this work we formally analyze, for the first time, the performance of a wireless Location Verification System (LVS) under the realistic setting of spatially correlated shadowing. Our analysis illustrates that anticipated levels of correlated shadowing can lead to a dramatic performance improvement of a Received Signal Strength (RSS)-based LVS. We also analyze the performance of an LVS that utilizes Differential Received Signal Strength (DRSS), formally proving the rather counter-intuitive result that a DRSS-based LVS has identical performance to that of an RSS-based LVS, for all levels of correlated shadowing. Even more surprisingly, the identical performance of RSS and DRSS-based LVSs is found to hold even when the adversary does not optimize his true location. Only in the case where the adversary does not optimize all variables under her control, do we find the performance of an RSS-based LVS to be better than a DRSS-based LVS. The results reported here are important for a wide range of emerging wireless communication applications whose proper functioning depends on the authenticity of the location information reported by a transceiver.ARC Discovery Projects Grant DP150103905

From grids to clouds: recap on challenges and solutions

Grid Computing is a set of resources; the separate computational power of these resources has combination to execute a huge task. Usually, in a Computational Grid environment, the main resource is the Central Processing Unit (CPU), mostly used in research fields that demand high computational power to perform massive and complicated calculations. Cloud Computing is a promising computing pattern which offers facilities and common resources on demand over the Web. The implementation of cloud computing applications has high priority, especially in the modern world, for example in providing adequate funding for social services and purchasing programs. In this paper, we discuss the implementation of cloud computing over a Smart Grid: reliable, guaranteed and efficient with low cost, it is expected to offer Long Term Evolution (LTE). This allows larger pieces of the spectrum, or bands, to be used, with greater coverage and less latency. The third technology is the Vehicular Network, an important research area because of its unique features and potential applications. In this survey, we present an overview of the smart grid, LTE and vehicular network integrated with cloud computing. We also highlight the open issues and research directions in implementing these technologies with cloud computing in terms of energy and information management for smart grids; applying cloud computing platforms for 4G networks to achieve specific criteria; and finally architectural formation, privacy and security for vehicular cloud computing

Exploring the Effects of Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control in Mitigating Traffic Congestion

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of CACC (Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control) equipped vehicles on traffic-flow characteristics of a multilane highway system. The research identifies how CACC vehicles affect the dynamics of traffic flow on a road network and demonstrates the potential benefits of reducing traffic congestion due to stop-and-go traffic conditions. An agent-based traffic simulation model is developed specifically to examine the effect of these intelligent vehicles on the traffic flow dynamics. Traffic performance metrics characterizing the evolution of traffic congestion throughout the road network, are analyzed. Different CACC penetration levels are studied. The positive impact of the CACC technology is demonstrated and shown that it has an impact of increasing the highway capacity and mitigating traffic congestions. This effect is sensitive to the market penetration and the traffic arrival rate. In addition, a progressive deployment strategy for CACC is proposed and validated