Chirp-Level Information-Based Collaborative Key Generation for LoRa Networks via Perturbed Compressed Sensing

Huanqi Yang, Zehua Sun, Hongbo Liu, Xianjin Xia, Yu Zhang, Tao Gu, Gerhard P. Hancke, Weitao Xu

Abstract: Physical-layer key generation holds significant potential in establishing cryptographic key pairs for emerging LoRa networks. Nevertheless, current key generation solutions may underperform due to critically impaired channel reciprocity, attributed to the low data rate and long range inherent in LoRa networks. In this study, we present ChirpKey, a novel key generation scheme for LoRa networks. We pinpoint the key hurdles as the coarse-grained channel measurement, inefficient quantization methods, and out-of-range device constraints. To capture fine-grained channel information, we introduce a unique, LoRa-specific channel measurement method that focuses on analyzing chirp-level variations in LoRa packets. We also propose a LoRa channel state estimation algorithm to neutralize asynchronous channel sampling. Instead of the traditional quantization approach, we propose an innovative key delivery method based on perturbed compressed sensing, offering enhanced robustness and security. For LoRa devices beyond each other’s communication reach, we integrate relay nodes to ensure reliable key generation. To foster secure group communication, we formulate two protocols that facilitate collaborative key generation across both star and chain configurations. Evaluation across diverse real-world scenarios reveals that ChirpKey enhances the key matching rate by 11.03–26.58% and increases the key generation rate by 27—49× in comparison to existing leading systems. Our security analysis shows that ChirpKey can effectively withstand a variety of prevalent attacks. Furthermore, we implement a ChirpKey prototype, demonstrating its capability to operate within 0.2 s.

External IDs:doi:10.1109/tmc.2025.3591298