A Survey on Efficient Group Key Management Schemes in Wireless Networks

Background/Objectives: With the unequalled growth in Wireless networks, the associated fields of group application have also seen growth like multimedia teleconferencing, stock quoting, and distance education. Security in group applications need to be maintained which cannot be accomplished by wireless networks and IP multicast, encryptions by a shared group key is required. In this paper we review on network-independent group key management, which can be classified into three types: centralized, decentralized and distributed group key management protocols. Improvements/Methods: We Analyse key management algorithms in wireless networks and compared various factors of performance like storage overhead, commutation overhead and communication overhead during the join and leave process in groups in wireless group key management approaches, with a set of assessment parameters. In this paper we find various parameters to consider when designing a key management algorithm in wireless networks for mobile environment. Findings: It is important to guarantee the safety of this group key and to ensure the group communication. In spite of the fact that group communication encryption can be utilized to secure messages exchanged among group individuals, distributing the cryptographic keys turn into an issue. However, various significant parameters are used to analysis security requirement of application, when the key management algorithm is developed. Strength of key management algorithms is minimization of key cost during the join/leave process of members in the groups. Applications: In addition, we identify the relationships between the various security issues of wireless group key management like performance, security and network compatibility with regard to the algorithms discussed. It will give better idea about designing key management algorithms with minimum cost like storage, communication and computation parameters when the members join/leave from the groups. It will enable them to take better decisions.