TDMAC: A timestamp defined message authentication code for secure data dissemination in VANET

Abstract

Message authentication codes (MACs) are used to prevent the dissemination of unauthorized and corrupted message to avoid road accident in vehicular ad hoc network (VANET). VANET is a short-lived network due to high mobility of vehicles and hence can't afford any complex computation of existing MACs. A timestamp defined MAC (TDMAC) is proposed in the present work as a light weight security solution. Detailed security analysis shows that TDMAC also thwarts passive attack as well as active attack. Finally the comparative usability of the proposed algorithm in the said application domain is worked out and that shows the dominance of the scheme over the existing schemes.