Secure three-party key distribution protocol for fast network access in EAP-based wireless networks

In this paper, we present a solution that reduces the time spent on providing network access in multi-domain mobile networks where the authentication process is based on the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). The goal is to achieve fast and smooth handoffs by reducing the latency added by the authentication process. This process is typically required when a mobile user moves from one authenticator to another regardless of whether the new authenticator is in the same domain (intra-domain) or different domain (inter-domain). To achieve an efficient solution to this problem, it has been generally recognized that a fast and secure key distribution process is required. We propose a new fast re-authentication architecture that employs a secure three-party key distribution protocol which reduces the number of message exchanges during the network access control process. Our approach is proved to preserve security and verified by means of a formal tool. The resulting performance benefits are shown through our extensive simulations. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.