Secure IPv6 in Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks

The researchers and industry envision the future Internet as the Internet of Things (IoT). IPv6 with potentially unlimited address space is an enabling technology towards the IoT. Particularly, IPv6 over Low Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN) enables the routing of traditional Internet traffic in the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). The wireless is also being introduced in the industrial sensor networks such as ISA 100.11a, WirelessHART, etc. However, IP with standardized security mechanisms is not included in the industrial WSN standards.

Real-world deployments of WSN require secure communication. Because of the low-power nodes with lossy links it is assume to be hard to extend traditional IP security solutions in the WSN. The objective of this thesis is to implement and evaluate IP security protocols for WSN realms, and apply and test this solution in IP based industrial WSN (ISA100.11a, WirelessHART).

The work will be carried out in NES group at SICS. NES is one of leading research groups in the area of WSNs. NES has developed the well-known Contiki operating system, COOJA simulator, uIP stack, etc. We are looking for a top, creative student with an interest in wireless networking and sensor networks. Very good C programming skills are required. Since the work is performed in an international environment, good communication skills in English are required.