Selecting key management schemes for WSN applications

Key management in wireless sensor networks (WSN) is an active research topic. Due to the large number of key management schemes (KMS) proposed in the literature, it is not easy for a sensor network designer to know exactly which KMS best fits in a particular WSN application. In this article, we offer a comprehensive review on how the application requirements and the properties of various key management schemes influence each other. Based on this review, we show that the KMS plays a critical role in determining the security performance of a WSN network with given application requirements. We also develop a method that allows the network designers to select the most suitable KMS for a specific WSN network setting. In addition, the article also addresses the issues on the current state-of-the-art research on the KMS for homogeneous (i.e. nonhierarchical) networks to provide solutions for establishing link-layer keys in various WSN applications and scenarios.