A Novel Framework to Safeguard Inter-Vehicular Communication and Privacy

A novel framework is proposed to enhance security and privacy within Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs). Operating under a semi-honest threat model, the framework utilizes public-key cryptography for secure message exchange and dynamic key management, effectively mitigating security threats from compromised Roadside Units (RSUs) and malicious vehicles while preserving user privacy. Synchronized RSU communication maintains consistent security credentials across the network, enforcing uniform security standards. A partial trust model for RSUs, complemented by a blockchain-based fallback mechanism, strengthens RSU trustworthiness and integrity. An adaptive deregistration strategy efficiently removes vehicle credentials, reducing overhead in dense traffic scenarios, while dynamic key management sustains vehicle anonymity. To safeguard privacy, the framework employs pseudonymous public keys and encrypts both message content and metadata. Key performance metrics, including Message Delivery Ratio (MDR), Privacy Preservation Rate (PPR), and Security Breach Rate (SBR), were used to assess the system's efficacy. The framework achieved an MDR consistently high, demonstrating reliable message delivery even in high-traffic scenarios. It also recorded a high PPR, ensuring strong privacy protection, while maintaining a low SBR, reflecting superior resistance to security breaches. This comprehensive approach offers a robust solution for protecting inter-vehicular communication against specified threats and preserving privacy within VANETs.