Proposing a hybrid protocol for secure wireless networks based on signcryption scheme

Considering the weaknesses of cryptography algorithms and the attacks performed against them, cryptography alone cannot guarantee the security of communication in a wireless network. With regard to the developments in wireless communication networks brought about by smart array antennas, security can be sought in the physical layer as well, aiming to restrict the access of the data in a wireless network and limit it to authorized users only in order to further restrain malicious data accesses. In this paper, we analysis a strategy for restricting data access using smart array antennas and present the results in security by a parameter called exposure region. For this strategy afterwards we propose a new hybrid protocol for network security based on cryptography algorithms. This protocol allows users to authenticate the sender´s identity taking advantage of signcryption schemes while exerting a negligible computational load on the network.