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Title: Wireless infrastructure protection using low-cost radio frequency fingerprinting receivers

Abstract

We report that low-data-rate wireless networks incorporated in critical infrastructure applications can be protected through 128-bit encryption keys and address-based access control lists. However, these bit-level credentials are vulnerable to interception, extraction and spoofing using software tools available free of charge on the Internet. Recent research has demonstrated that wireless physical layer device fingerprinting can be used to defend against replay and spoofing attacks. However, radio frequency (RF) fingerprinting typically uses expensive signal collection systems; this is because fingerprinting wireless devices with low-cost receivers has been reported to have inconsistent accuracy. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates a robust radio frequency fingerprinting process that is consistently accurate with both high-end and low-cost receivers. Indeed, the results demonstrate that low-cost software-defined radios can be used to perform accurate radio frequency fingerprinting and to identify spoofing attacks in critical IEEE 802.154-based infrastructure networks such as ZigBee.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Air Force Inst. of Technology, OH (United States). Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1261413
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 8; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 1874-5482
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; Radio frequency fingerprinting; Physical layer security; WPAN; Spoofing; ZigBee Networks

Citation Formats

Ramsey, Benjamin W., Stubbs, Tyler D., Mullins, Barry E., Temple, Michael A., and Buckner, Mark A. Wireless infrastructure protection using low-cost radio frequency fingerprinting receivers. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1016/j.ijcip.2014.11.002.
Ramsey, Benjamin W., Stubbs, Tyler D., Mullins, Barry E., Temple, Michael A., & Buckner, Mark A. Wireless infrastructure protection using low-cost radio frequency fingerprinting receivers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcip.2014.11.002
Ramsey, Benjamin W., Stubbs, Tyler D., Mullins, Barry E., Temple, Michael A., and Buckner, Mark A. 2015. "Wireless infrastructure protection using low-cost radio frequency fingerprinting receivers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcip.2014.11.002.
@article{osti_1261413,
title = {Wireless infrastructure protection using low-cost radio frequency fingerprinting receivers},
author = {Ramsey, Benjamin W. and Stubbs, Tyler D. and Mullins, Barry E. and Temple, Michael A. and Buckner, Mark A.},
abstractNote = {We report that low-data-rate wireless networks incorporated in critical infrastructure applications can be protected through 128-bit encryption keys and address-based access control lists. However, these bit-level credentials are vulnerable to interception, extraction and spoofing using software tools available free of charge on the Internet. Recent research has demonstrated that wireless physical layer device fingerprinting can be used to defend against replay and spoofing attacks. However, radio frequency (RF) fingerprinting typically uses expensive signal collection systems; this is because fingerprinting wireless devices with low-cost receivers has been reported to have inconsistent accuracy. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates a robust radio frequency fingerprinting process that is consistently accurate with both high-end and low-cost receivers. Indeed, the results demonstrate that low-cost software-defined radios can be used to perform accurate radio frequency fingerprinting and to identify spoofing attacks in critical IEEE 802.154-based infrastructure networks such as ZigBee.},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijcip.2014.11.002},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1261413}, journal = {International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection},
issn = {1874-5482},
number = C,
volume = 8,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Fri Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}