Abstract
A major concern in distributed networks is the ability to provide acceptable levels of security. This is achieved by using encryption and authentication mechanisms that depend on encryption keys. However, given the ever-expanding nature of the network, it is difficult to keep setting up authorities that can aid the key- exchange process. This paper presents a novel solution to the challenge of exchanging keys of a large, distributed network without the need to set up additional authorities. The key-exchange scheme presented takes advantage of features such as packet anonymity, random selection and a multi- path approach for the exchange process. The paper also discusses the effectiveness of the proposed scheme against various threat scenarios.