A comprehensive security framework for WBANs in the healthcare environment

Abstract

The emergence of technology is constantly required by human society's healthcare system, where a patient is added to the environment of sickness every day. By providing real-time monitoring of patient vital signs, enabling remote patient care, and enhancing general medical diagnostics, Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) in e-healthcare have revolutionized the healthcare business. In our fast-paced environment, it is impossible to monitor every patient individually. Instead, WBAN can be used to treat patients in life-threatening situations. A new wireless network called WBAN was created using many tiny, short-power sensor nodes, communication links between nearby nodes, and a central base station to store and analyze the data. WBAN uses low-power, low-cost hardware with a 10 Kbps to 10 Mbps data rate. Many industries, including healthcare, senior care, sports and fitness, chronic illness management, military and emergency services, innovative apparel and fashion, precision agriculture, and farming, can successfully implement WBAN. These WBANs can be made using wearable digital apparel, accessories, and other items. In this chapter, WBAN is used in the healthcare system to monitor the fundamental values of temperature, pressure, blood sugar, and other parameters using a larger number of sensor nodes, transmit the monitored information promptly to a nearby base station (server), and then conduct data analysis to determine the patient's status accurately. As a result, tracking nodes and data transfer protocols must be highly secure to ensure data integrity. Here, strategies for potential node failures, improved technology for data connection faults, and corrective measures are provided to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) for accurate analysis of patient data collection. However, there are significant privacy and data security issues that have been brought up by the use of WBANs in healthcare settings. This chapter offers a thorough security framework to handle the particular problems WBANs in e-healthcare provide. To guarantee the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of sensitive patient data, the framework includes encryption, authentication, access control, and intrusion detection technologies. Adopting contemporary security measures will lead to better patient outcomes and a more robust and secure healthcare ecosystem, promoting confidence between patients, healthcare providers, and technology. © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Anuj Kumar Singh and Sachin Kumar. All rights reserved.