Secure Online Fountain Code With Component Feedback for Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks

Improving the security of data transmission in underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASNs) remains a critical challenge for current underwater acoustic communication systems. In this article, a novel security transmission scheme for underwater data based on online fountain codes (OFCs) is proposed. Specifically, an underwater security system model is established, and the security of underwater data transmission, as well as the coding overhead of OFC based on the theory of random graphs, is analyzed. Furthermore, three optimization objectives for the security of underwater data transmission are investigated. In addition, a component-based OFC without completion phase (COFCNC) precede is presented to optimize the encoding and feedback mechanism. The optimized feedback mechanism of the decoding state reduces the overhead while lowering the eavesdropping probability of illegal nodes. On this basis, an xor encryption scheme is proposed, enabling our scheme to achieve confidentiality in most cases. Experimental results show that, compared with the traditional fountain codes and other fountain code security mechanisms, this scheme ensures data transmission efficiency while achieving security.