Optimized conditional privacy preservation in VANETs

In this paper, we present an optimized conditional privacy preservation model for vehicle ad-hoc networks (VANETs). This model includes an ID-based cryptosystem to assure users' anonymity using pseudonyms; however the model provides a backdoor for law enforcement authorities to trace misbehaving and suspicious users. In this model, we propose a heuristic that optimizes the pseudonym update process. This heuristic permits vehicles to switch pseudonyms at different times and locations in a way that maximizes the anonymity degree.