A survey on security attacks and countermeasures with primary user detection in cognitive radio networks

José Marinho,Jorge Granjal,Edmundo Monteiro

doi:10.1186/s13635-015-0021-0

Abstract

Abstract Currently, there are several ongoing efforts for the definition of new regulation policies, paradigms, and technologies aiming a more efficient usage of the radio spectrum. In this context, cognitive radio (CR) emerges as one of the most promising players by enabling the dynamic access to vacant frequency bands on a non-interference basis. However, the intrinsic characteristic of CR opens new ways for attackers, namely in the context of the effective detection of incumbent or primary users (PUs), the most fundamental and challenging requirement for the successful operation of CR networks. In this article, we provide a global and integrated vision of the main threats affecting CR environments in the context of the detection of primary users, with a particular focus on spectrum sensing data falsification and primary user emulation attacks. We also address solutions and research challenges still required to address such threats. Our discussion aims at being complete and self-contained, while also targeting readers with no specific background on this important topic of CR environments. It is, as far as our knowledge goes, the first work providing a global and clear vision of security threats and countermeasures in the context of primary user detection in CR.

Highlights

The radio spectrum is a finite resource currently experiencing a tremendous increase in demand and, growing in scarcity
Despite the existence of several published works on security issues related to cognitive radio (CR) environments [6,7,8,9,10,11], none of them provides a global and clear vision of security threats against normal primary users (PUs) detection in CR environments, together with the available countermeasures and open research challenges, as we address in this survey
2 Conclusions Cognitive radio is a highly multidisciplinary area currently attracting numerous research efforts, which provides a large number of challenges regarding security and accurate sensing [62]

Summary

Introduction

The radio spectrum is a finite resource currently experiencing a tremendous increase in demand and, growing in scarcity. The few existing license-free radio frequencies, such as the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands, are often overcrowded, especially in densely populated areas. This situation results in contention and interference, and, in significant performance degradation. Despite such aspects, we can observe that the majority of the licensed radio spectrum remains unused or underutilized independently of time and location, resulting in numerous vacant spectrum bands [1].

Objectives

Conclusion