Volume 16, Number 2

Enhancing Data Privacy in Wireless Sensor Networks: Investigating Techniques and Protocols to Protect Privacy of Data Transmitted Over Wireless Sensor Networks in Critical Applications of Healthcare and National Security

  Authors

Akinsola Ahmed, Ejiofor Oluomachi, Akinde Abdullah, Njoku Tochukwu, Austin Peay State University, USA

  Abstract

The article discusses the emergence of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) as a groundbreaking technology in data processing and communication. It outlines how WSNs, composed of dispersed autonomous sensors, are utilized to monitor physical and environmental factors, transmitting data wirelessly for analysis. The article explores various applications of WSNs in healthcare, national security, emergency response, and infrastructure monitoring, highlighting their roles in enhancing patient care, public health surveillance, border security, disaster management, and military operations. Additionally, it examines the foundational concepts of data privacy in WSNs, focusing on encryption techniques, authentication mechanisms, anonymization techniques, and access control mechanisms. The article also addresses vulnerabilities, threats, and challenges related to data privacy in healthcare and national security contexts, emphasizing regulatory compliance, ethical considerations, and socio-economic factors. Furthermore, it introduces the Diffusion of Innovation Theory as a framework for understanding the adoption of privacy-enhancing technologies in WSNs. Finally, the article reviews empirical studies demonstrating the efficacy of security solutions in preserving data privacy in WSNs, offering insights into advancements in safeguarding sensitive information.

  Keywords

Wireless sensor networks, data privacy, healthcare, national security, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, encryption techniques, authentication mechanisms, anonymization techniques, access control mechanisms, vulnerabilities, threats, challenges, and empirical studies.