Abstract

With the rapid development of wireless networks, mobile computing has become a reality. Mobile IP provides a framework for transparent mobility based on the existing IP protocol, which allows the mobile user to use the same IP address to communicate with others, even when the mobile user changes its point of attachment to the network. However, Mobile IP is subject to a variety of security threats. Some originate from Internet Protocol (IP) vulnerabilities; some are rooted in the Mobile IP protocol itself. IPSec is an IP-layer security solution for network traffic, which provides extensive services for confidentiality, authentication, and integrity of data communication. Mobile IP data communication can be protected by integration with IPSec. This report describes the security issues in Mobile IP, what IPSec is, and how and why IPSec can solve Mobile IP security problems. This report also describes the details of SecMIP, a prototype we have created to demonstrate the integration of IPSec with Mobile IP.