METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING GROUPCAST DATA IN A WIRELESS MESH COMMUNICATION NETWORK

摘要

A method for transmitting groupcast data in a wireless mesh communication network as provided improves security of groupcast data. The method comprises processing, at a supplicant node, authentication handshake data received from an authenticator node, wherein the supplicant node is a next-hop neighbor of the authenticator node away from a root node. The supplicant node then stores a group transient key (GTK) received from the authenticator node. Next, the supplicant node processes authentication handshake data received from a third node, wherein the third node is a next-hop neighbor of the supplicant node away from the root node. The GTK is then transmitted from the supplicant node to the third node. Encrypted groupcast data are then generated at the supplicant node by using the GTK to encrypt groupcast data received from the authenticator node. Finally, the encrypted groupcast data are transmitted from the supplicant node to the third node.