YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) is pleased to announce a new publication by Zaven P. and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Sachin Kumar in Scientific Reports, a Q1 peer-reviewed, 4.6 impact factor multidisciplinary journal.
Co-authored by Dr. Kumar, the paper explores the rapidly evolving Internet of Vehicular Things (IoVT), a network connecting vehicles, infrastructure, and smart systems via the internet. While this connectivity is designed to enhance road safety and traffic efficiency, it also exposes users to significant security and privacy vulnerabilities.
To address these risks, the research proposes a “lightweight, group-based authentication and key agreement (AKA) protocol” specifically designed for 5G-enabled IoVT networks. The protocol ensures critical security measures, including mutual authentication and subscriber privacy, protecting the system from common cryptographic attacks.
Performance evaluations show that the proposed protocol can reduce signaling overhead by up to 47.3%, lower bandwidth consumption by up to 32.3%, and significantly decrease computational costs compared to the standard EPS-AKA protocol. Based on these results, the study offers a scalable and secure solution for the next generation of smart transportation.
Reflecting on the publication, Dr. Kumar said, “As vehicles become increasingly connected, security and privacy can no longer be treated as afterthoughts. Our work demonstrates that it is possible to design lightweight authentication mechanisms that significantly reduce communication and computational overhead while still meeting the strict security requirements of 5G-enabled smart transportation systems.”
The paper is available on the publisher’s website.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.