Securing D2D Therapeutic Hiking Group in 5G Networks for Partial Coverage Scenario

Therapeutic hiking is a popular recreational activity that promotes physical exercise, nature exposure, and mental well-being. The potential of Device-to-Device (D2D) communication in 5G networks to enhance group communications has garnered significant attention. This paper focuses on securing D2D therapeutic hiking group communications in 5G networks, particularly in partial coverage scenarios where conventional network infrastructure may be limited or unavailable. A robust key agreement protocol is proposed to address the security requirements of D2D communications within therapeutic hiking groups. The protocol ensures secure and efficient communication among group members, enabling secure message exchange and sharing of sensitive information in challenging network conditions. A Relay node is introduced as an intermediary among User Equipments (UEs) and the base station, facilitating secure communication using elliptic curve cryptography. The protocol incorporates secure and efficient techniques for key generation, distribution, and updating, enabling secure and efficient communication within the therapeutic hiking group. The distributed nature of the protocol allows for flexibility and adaptability in partial coverage scenarios. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed protocol.