6LowPSec: An end-to-end security protocol for 6LoWPAN

6LoWPAN has radically changed the IoT (Internet of Things) landscape by seeking to extend the use of IPv6 to smart and tiny objects. Enabling efficient IPv6 communication over IEEE 802.15.4 LoWPAN radio links requires high end-to-end security rules. The IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer implements several security features offering hardware hop-by-hop protection for exchanged frames. In order to provide end-to-end security, researchers focus on lightweighting variants of existing security solutions such as IPSec that operates on the network layer. In this paper, we introduce a new security protocol referred to as “6LowPSec”, providing a propitious end-to-end security solution but functioning at the adaptation layer. 6LowPSec employs existing hardware security features specified by the MAC security sublayer. A detailed campaign is presented that evaluates the performances of 6LowPSec compared with the lightweight IPSec. Results prove the feasibility of an end-to-end hardware security solution for IoT, that operates at the adaptation layer, without incurring much overhead.