Secret Key Agreement Based on Radio Propagation Characteristics in Two-Way Relaying Systems

We consider secret key agreement based on radio propagation characteristics in two-way relaying system where two legitimate parties named Alice and Bob communicate with each other via a relay. In this system, Alice and Bob share secret keys generated from their radio propagation characteristics by the help of the relay. In this paper, we present two secret key agreement schemes: an amplify-and-forward (AF) scheme and a multiple-access amplify-and-forward (MA-AF) scheme. In both of the schemes, the basic idea is to share the effective fading coefficient between Alice and Bob and use it as the source of secret keys. The AF scheme is based on a conventional amplify-and-forward two-way relaying method, while the MA-AF scheme utilizes the inherent combining of signals provided by simultaneous transmissions over a multiple-access channel in order to share the secret keys more securely efficiently. We analyze eavesdropping strategy in terms of eavesdropper's location and show that if the eavesdropper is located near the relay and can receive signals from the relay without multipath fading and noise, the AF scheme is not secure. Simulation results show that the MA-AF scheme is more secure and efficient than the AF scheme.