2011 - 20th Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium

2012 - 11th Annual NC State Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Session Time : 8/1/12 3:00 PM - 8/1/12 4:14 PM

Content Area : NC State Independent Researchers

Lead Student Presenters : Wei Shen

Co-Presenters : Lei Cheng

Abstract Title : Is link signature dependable for wireless security?

Abstract :
The security aspect of wireless communication network is now drawing people's attention for wireless communication’s increasing widespread use. As one of the most fundamental issues, effective creation of shared secret between two communication parties establishes the basis of transceiver identifications, message integrity, etc. The Link signature, as a physical layer security mechanism, which uses the unique and reciprocal wireless channel characteristics between a pair of transceivers to generate the sought-after common secret, is a possible way of shared secret.

Our research endeavors to explore whether the link signature is dependable. Specifically, the goal of our research is to show the vulnerability of the link signature and the fact that multiple attackers will further enhance the attack as compared to a single attacker. We start from verifying the fact that two receivers' channel correlation could be non-negligible even when they are separated over half a wavelength and when attackers take advantage of the space channel correlation, security of the link signature itself may become not worthy of confidence. In addition, how multiple collaborative attackers can utilize the channel correlation to degrade the security of link signature is further demonstrated.

Moreover, we endeavor to explore the mathematical relation between the channel correlation and the corresponding receiver spatial separation, through modeling/measuring the Power Azimuth Spectrum (PAS) of the incoming signal. Also, how the strength of Line of Sight (LOS) component will affect the channel correlation is instantiated to motivate the design of more advanced attacking/defending schemes.

Mentor and/or Co-Author : Huaiyu Dai