An approach for authentication in wireless body area network based on biometrics

A wireless body area network (WBAN) is a sensor network that is placed in and around human bodies to measure the body parameters such as blood pressure, heart beat, blood sugar level, etc. Wireless body area network sensors record, monitor, process, and communicate various vital signs as well as provide real-time feedback to the user and medical personnel without causing any discomfort. Security and privacy issues, which include authentication, arise when the data are created, transferred, stored, and processed in information systems such as WBAN. Several authentication techniques have been developed which included biometric-based authentication. The objectives of the research reported in this thesis were to analyze existing techniques used for authentication in WBAN, to determine their effectiveness, and for identification of the strengths and weaknesses. On the basis of this analysis, an approach, which is based on the technique in which a set of parameters derived from electroencephalography in which eye blinking feature was incorporated, was proposed. The approach consisted of two major steps: 1. authentication system setup step in which necessary environment was established for hosting the system, and 2. authentication system operation step in which either the authentication data were acquired and stored in the system or the patient was authenticated using the previously stored authentication data. The proposed approach was illustrated by applying it in typical cases. The approach was analyzed on the basis of the parameters developed for the analysis of previously proposed approaches. The illustrations and analysis indicate that the proposed technique was effective