Secure Channel Access
An increasing number of mobile users rely on wireless technologies to gain secure and uninterrupted access to network services. As the volume of data disseminated via the wireless medium rapidly expands, provision of performance, reliability, and security become challenging problems. These problems can be alleviated by the use of multiple orthogonal frequency bands (channels) to substantially reduce contention and interference. However, for systems with poor security and lack of centralized resource allocation such as ad hoc, sensor, and cognitive radio networks, a multitude of internal and external attacks against the medium channel access mechanisms can negate any gains due to channelization. We design secure multi-channel access protocols, focusing on the protection of control traffic, collaborative attack detection, and "organically-coordinated" medium sharing. Moreover, for networks with dynamic spectrum such as cognitive radio networks, we develop verifiable channel sensing and management methods. Central to this effort is our definition of quantitative security metrics under well-defined adversarial models.
Related Project
NSF CNS-0844111: CAREER: Securing Channel Access in Multi-Channel Ad Hoc Networks