Security Flaws of Awais et al.’s Lightweight Authentication Protocol for Fog-based Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks

The rapid increase in the number of ve- hicles has accelerated the development of smart cities, with Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks (VANETs) play- ing a crucial role in enhancing traffic management. VANETs facilitate real-time road monitoring, route optimization, location tracking, and vehicle speed regulation. Ensuring the security of transmitted in- formation is a critical aspect of VANETs. Recently, the integration of fog computing with VANETs has enhanced traffic control by reducing congestion and supporting efficient communication. The integration of fog computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) has significantly contributed to the advancement of intel- ligent transportation systems. However, ensuring se- cure communication in fog-node-based Vehicular Ad- Hoc Networks (VANETs) remains a major challenge. In this context, Awais et al. proposed a lightweight authentication scheme for fog-based VANETs, claim- ing its resistance to multiple security threats, includ- ing user anonymity compromise, replay attacks, and session-specific temporary attacks. However, upon analysis, we identified several security vulnerabilities in their scheme, making it unsuitable for practical deployment. This paper highlights these weaknesses and provides recommendations to enhance the secu- rity of the analyzed scheme