EU - SMEPP - Secure Middleware for embedded Peer-to-Peer Systems

Embedded Peer-to-Peer Systems (EP2P) represent a new challenge in the development of software for distributed systems. P2P systems have brought about an important revolution in distributed computing paradigms, now that the roles of client and server, which are the basis of the most widely used distributed computation models, are disappearing. This scenario consists of systems in which all the elements of the network are symmetrical and, in most cases, the mechanisms of communication are not based on pre-existing infrastructures, but rather on dynamic ad-hoc networks among peers. At the same time, the recent technological advances in short distance wireless communications and embedded systems have opened up new areas of application, where small, low-powered, low-cost systems collaborate in the processing and management of information using wireless channels. The main objective of SMEPP is to develop a new middleware, based on a new network centric abstract model, trying to overcome the main problems of the currently existing domain specific middleware proposals. The middleware will be secure, generic and highly customizable, allowing for its adaptation to different devices (from PDAs and new generation mobile phones to embedded sensor actuator systems) and domains (from critical systems to consumer entertainment or communication). IAIK is heavily involved in the design and development of the sensor-node prototype platform, which will be based on the LEON processor. Implementation of the security primitives up to secure design and implementation of secure routing protocols will be our main contribution.