On the security of an enhanced novel access control protocol for wireless sensor networks

New node deployment is inevitable in a wireless sensor network because nodes in the network may be lost, exhausted, or destroyed. To secure the new node deployment process, Kim and Lee (2009) proposed an enhanced novel access control protocol (ENACP) using the elliptic curve cryptography and the hash chain. We identified an inherent flaw in their design and demonstrated that ENACP is vulnerable to a new node masquerading attack and a legal node masquerading attack, in violation of their security claims. We hope that by identifying this design flaw, similar structural mistakes can be avoided in future designs.