Prototype Genomics-Based Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code Protocol

Abstract

The evolving nature of the internet will require continual advances in authentication and confidentiality protocols. Nature provides some clues as to how this can be accomplished in a distributed manner through molecular biology. Cryptography and molecular biology share certain aspects and operations that allow for a set of unified principles to be applied to problems in either venue. A DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) inspired hash code system is presented that utilizes concepts from molecular biology. It is a keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC) capable of being used in secure mobile Ad hoc networks. It is targeted for applications without an available public key infrastructure. Ad hoc does not mean the users are completely unknown to each other. They could be part of a military unit, police, emergency workers, mobile vendors, or any collection of users in a common geographical area that wish communicate in a region lacking a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Mechanics of creating the HMAC are presented as well as a prototype HMAC protocol architecture.