Special Issue "Security for Next Generation Wireless and Decentralized Systems"

Guest Editor
Mr. André Koenig
Multimedia Communications Lab (KOM), Technical University of Darmstadt, Merckstr. 25, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany
Website: http://www.kom.tu-darmstadt.de/en/people/staff/andre-koenig/
E-Mail:
Interests: Security & Trust, Communication Services

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Ralf Steinmetz
Head, Multimedia Communications Lab (KOM), Technical University of Darmstadt, Merckstr. 25, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany
Website: http://www.kom.tu-darmstadt.de/en/people/staff/ralf-steinmetz/
E-Mail:
Interests: networked multimedia issues, seamless multimedia communications, network dependability and security, quality of service, content distribution networks, context aware communications, media semantics, mobility, Internet telephony, telemedia learning

Evolving communication paradigms such as mobile ad hoc, mesh, and sensor networks as well as peer-to-peer applications demand for novel security solutions. Due to the changed characteristics compared to today's networks, these systems are beyond the protection of (most of) today's security mechanisms. New approaches that are able to handle the challenging conditions have to be developed. In this process, the mutual influence of security and quality of service/experience has to be considered as an integral element. This way, coexistence of security and performance can be achieved in order to further catalyze the evolution.

Ralf Steinmetz
André König
Guest Editors

Submission Information

All papers should be submitted to futureinternet@mdpi.org. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at the special issue website.

Submitted papers should not have been published nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. All papers are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Future Internet is a new international, peer-reviewed, quarterly open access journal published by Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI).

Open Access publication is free of charge in the first few issues to be published in 2009.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: A Study on the Agent-based Context-aware Service Framework for Decision-Support Applications in Preventive Care
Authors: Giovanni Cagalaban *, Jae-gu Song and Seoksoo Kim
Affiliation: Department of Multimedia, Hannam University, Ojeong-dong, Deadeok-gu, Daejeon 306-791, Korea; E-Mails: gcagalaban@hahoo.com; bhas@paran.com; sskim@hnu.ac.kr
Abstract: Technological advances in ubiquitous healthcare can lead to longer life expectancy especially for the elders. To aid in preventing premature loss of lives and lengthening life expectancy, this research aims to implement the use of mobile and sensor technology. Particularly, we propose an agent-based context-aware service framework for decision-support applications in preventive care that applies ontology to support context modeling and reasoning to the domain of context in ubiquitous computing environments. This paper presents several context-aware service scenarios to demonstrate how context technologies and mobile web services can help enhance the quality of services in preventive care to elders.
Keywords: context-aware service, ubiquitous healthcare, context modeling, context reasoning

Type of Paper: Review
Title: The Applications and Security of Next-Generation User-Centric Wireless Systems
Authors: Rick Ramstetter and Danfeng Yao; E-Mail: danfeng@cs.rutgers.edu
Abstract: Pervasive wireless systems have significantly improved end users' quality of life. As manufacturing costs decrease and communication bandwidth increases in availability, next generation wireless systems will play a more important role in facilitating users' daily activities. Unfortunately, unique security and privacy issues exist in these user-centric wireless and decentralized systems. The pervasive nature of such technologies allows for adversaries to launch stealthy attacks against them. In this review paper, we survey several emergent personal wireless systems and their applications, discuss their security vulnerabilities and the impact that these vulnerabilities have on users, describe existing solutions to these vulnerabilities, and point out promising future research directions for improving these systems' robustness and security.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Balancing Security and Privacy for Emerging Applications on
VANETs
Authors: Tat Wing Chim, Siu Ming Yiu, Lucas Chi Kwong Hui and Victor On Kwok Li; E-mail: twchim@cs.hku.hk
Abstract: VANET is an emerging type of networks which facilitate vehicles to communicate for driving safety and convenience. Vehicles have on-board units while roads have roadside units. Basic security protocols on VANETs have been widely studied. The future trend of VANETs is to develop new applications. If a protocol is not designed properly, a driver’s privacy may be compromised. We highlight the challenge of balancing security and privacy. We illustrate the issues using two examples - group communications and location-query service, and show how to solve the problems using ideas like pseudoidentity, anonymous credentials, and lightweight group key system.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Misbehaviour Scenarios in Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: Stamatios Arkoulis,1 Ioannis Marias,1 Pantelis Frangoudis,1 Jens Obereneder,3 Alexandru Popescu,2 Markus Fiedler,2 Hermann de Meer,3 George C. Polyzos1,*
Affiliation: 1 Mobile Multimedia Laboratory, Athens University of Economics and Business; 2 Blekinge Institute of Technology; 3 University of Passau; E-mail: polyzos@aueb.gr
Abstract: Recent advances in the fields of Cognitive Radio and the proliferation of open spectrum access promise that in the near future spectrum-agile wireless communication will be widespread and will bring about significant flexibility and potential utility improvements for end users. With spectrum efficiency being a key objective, most relevant research focuses on smart coexistence mechanisms. However, wireless nodes may behave selfishly and should be considered as rational autonomous entities. Selfishness or faulty equipment can lead to behaviour that does not conform to sharing protocols and etiquette. Thus, there is a need to secure spectrum sharing mechanisms against attacks in the various phases of the sharing process. Identifying these attacks and possible countermeasures is the focus of this work.
Keywords: Spectrum Sharing, Dynamic Spectrum Access, Security, Wireless Network Access