Logo image
Back
Enabling real-time wireless channel based encryption key generation
Thesis   Open access

Enabling real-time wireless channel based encryption key generation

Brandon Z. Katz
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
May 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6903
pdf
Katz_Brandon_20163.11 MBDownloadView
PDF Open Access Open Access (License Unspecified)

Abstract

Electrical engineering Wireless communication systems--Real-time control Computer networks--Security measures Data encryption (Computer science)
As the demand for wireless communication grows, so does the need for wireless security. Through both high profile attacks as well as personal identity theft at open access points, it has been demonstrated that security is falling behind the curve. Wireless consumers create weak passwords, forget to turn on the latest encryption, and connect to open wireless networks every day. One solution is to remove the human element and instead generate encryption keys on the fly. Recently, methods have been proposed to use wireless channels as common entropy sources to enable radios to generate symmetric encryption keys. These techniques rely on the unique wireless environment between two radios in order to effectively move security down to the physical layer of a radio network as opposed to requiring users to handle encryption keys directly. In this thesis, a method of generating keys using wireless channels in real-time through additions to the IEEE 802.11 protocol is described and validated. As part of the process, a technique for sampling wireless channels using application layer traffic is designed and tested. Additionally, major related points of interest such as channel coherence, bit error handling, and real-time processing, are discussed.

Metrics

47 File views/ downloads
33 Record Views

Details

Logo image