An architecture and implementation of secure device communication in oxygen

Abstract

This thesis describes the design and implementation of a system for securely controlling and communicating with devices. The system requires little processing overhead on the device while allowing secure control of the device through a proxy. The proxy is a software representative for the device that runs on a fast computer and so is capable of implementing sophisticated cryptographic algorithms to authorize control of the device. With the proxy doing the difficult work, the device must only implement simple algorithms. The devices communicate using a RF protocol that allows mobility and the ability to easily add new devices to the environment. In addition, the devices communicate over the Internet so they can be controlled from virtually anywhere. The system design incorporates well with resource discovery services that facilitate device automation. This thesis describes one such application.