Comments on He et al.’s Robust Biometric-based User Authentication Scheme for WSNs

Authors: Eun-Jun Yoon, Kee-Young Yoo

Abstract:

In order to guarantee secure communication for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), many user authentication schemes have successfully drawn researchers- attention and been studied widely. In 2012, He et al. proposed a robust biometric-based user authentication scheme for WSNs. However, this paper demonstrates that He et al.-s scheme has some drawbacks: poor reparability problem, user impersonation attack, and sensor node impersonate attack.

Keywords: Security, authentication, biometrics, poor reparability, impersonation attack, wireless sensor networks.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1334850

References:

[1] C. Y. Chong and S. Kumar, Sensor networks: Evolution, opportunities and challenges, Proceedings of IEEE, vol. 91, no. 8, pp. 1247-1256, 2003.
[2] R. Watro, D. Kong, S. Cuti, C. Gardiner, C. Lynn, and P. Kruus, TinyPK: Securing sensor networks with public key technology, ACM Workshop Security of Ad Hoc Sensor Networks, Washington D C: ACM Press, pp. 59-64, 2004.
[3] K. Wong, Y. Zheng, J. Cao, and S. Wang, A dynamic user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks, IEEE International Conference Sensor Networks, Ubiquitous, Trustworthy Computing, Taibei: IEEE Computer Society, pp. 244-251, 2006.
[4] J. J. Yuan, C. J. Jiang, and Z. W. Jiang A biometric-based user authentication for wireless sensor networks, Wuhan University Journal of Natural Sciences, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 272-276, 2010.
[5] M. K. Khan and J. Zhang, Improving the security of a flexible biometrics remote user authentication scheme, Computer Standards and Interfaces, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 82-85, 2007.
[6] M. K. Khan, J. Zhang, and X. Wang, Chaotic Hash-based fingerprint biometric remote user authentication scheme on mobile devices, Chaos, Solitons and Fractals, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 519-524, 2008.
[7] J. K. Lee, S. R. Ryu, and K. Y. Yoo, Fingerprint-based remote user authentication scheme using smart cards, Electronic Letters, vol. 38, no. 12, pp. 554-555, 2002.
[8] C. H. Lin and Y. Y. Lai, A flexible biometrics remote user authentication scheme, Computer Standards and Interfaces, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 19-23, 2004.
[9] C. T. Li and M. S. Hwang, An efficient biometrics-based remote user authentication scheme using smart cards, Journal of Network and Computer Applications, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 1-5, 2010.
[10] D. He, Robust biometric-based user authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks, IACR Cryptology ePrint Archive 2012, vol. 203, pp. 1-15, 2012.
[11] W. C. Ku, Weaknesses and improvements of an efficient password based remote user authentication scheme using smart cards, IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, 2004, 50(1): 204-207.
[12] M. Kumar, On the weaknesses and improvements of an efficient password based remote user authentication scheme using smart cards, CiteSeerX, pp. 1-12, 2004.
[13] P. Kocher, J. Jaffe, and B. Jun, Differential power analysis, Proceedings of Advances in Cryptology (Crypto-99), pp. 388-397, Santa Barbara, USA, 1999.
[14] T. S. Messerges, E. A. Dabbish, and R. H. Sloan, Examining smart card security under the threat of power analysis attacks, IEEE Transactions on Computers, vol. 51, no. 5, pp. 541-552, 2002.
[15] D. He, J. Chen, and J. Hu, Weaknesses of a remote user password authentication scheme using smart card, International Journal of Network Security, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 58-60, July 2011.
[16] A. J. Menezes, P. C. Oorschot, and S. A. Vanstone, Handbook of applied cryptography, CRC Press New York, 1997.