LEAS: Localized efficient authentication scheme for multi-operator wireless mesh network with identity-based proxy signature

Aiming at establishing secure access and communications for a multi-operator wireless mesh network (WMN), this paper proposes a localized efficient authentication scheme (LEAS) under a broker-based hierarchical security architecture and trust model. Mutual authentication is achieved directly between mesh client and access mesh router through a ticket which is equipped with an identity-based proxy signature. Fast authentication for different roaming scenarios is supported by using HMAC operations on both the mesh client side and mesh router side. As a byproduct, key agreement among network entities is also implemented to protect the subsequent communications after authentication. Our performance and security analysis demonstrate that LEAS is efficient and resilient to various kinds of attacks.