Security Analysis of Flow-based Fast Handover Method for Mobile IPv6 Networks

Flow-based Fast Handover for Mobile IPv6 (FFHMIPv6) is a new handover method designed for Mobile IP networks. The FFHMIPv6 uses the flow-state information and packet encapsulation to enable reception of packets simultaneously with the address registration process of Mobile IPv6. Analysis and performance evaluation of FFHMIPv6 shows it handles the handover delay more efficiently than the basic Mobile IPv6, Hierarchical MIPv6, as well as Fast Handovers for MIPv6 handover mechanisms. However, if FFHMIPv6 is to be the primary mechanism for handover in Mobile IP networks it has to be secure, efficient as well as reliable alternative to the existing handover mechanisms. In this paper we present the security analysis and assessment of FFHMIPv6. We also recommend solutions to the identified security vulnerabilities and defense mechanisms to FFHMIPv6. The major security threat of FFHMIPv6 is related to the process of Flow-based Fast Handover Binding Update (FFHBU).