Wireless Information-Theoretic Security Research Articles

Wireless Information-Theoretic Security: Theoretical analysis & experimental measurements with multiple eavesdroppers in an outdoor obstacle-dense MANET

Wireless Information-Theoretic Security (WITS) has been suggested as a robust security scheme, especially for infrastructure-less networks. Based on the physical layer, WITS considers quasi-static Rayleigh fading instead of the classic Gaussian wiretap scenario. In this paper, the key parameters of WITS are investigated by implementing an 802.11n ad-hoc network in an outdoor obstacle-dense topology. Measurements performed throughout the topology allow for a realistic evaluation of a scenario with multiple moving eavesdroppers. Low speed user movement has been considered, so that Doppler spread can be discarded. A set of discrete field test trials have been conducted, based on simulation of human mobility throughout an obstacle-constrained environment. Average Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) values have been measured for all moving nodes, and the Probability of Non-Zero Secrecy Capacity has been calculated for different eavesdropping cooperative schemes (Selection Combining and Maximal-Ratio Combining). In addition, the Outage Probability has been estimated with regard to a non-zero target Secrecy Rate for both techniques. The results have been compared with the respective values of WITS key parameters derived from theoretical analysis.

Cooperative Secrecy to Resist Authentication Error in Two‐Hop Wireless Networks

The authentication error in two-hop wireless networks is considered without knowledge of eavesdropper channels and location. The wireless informationtheoretic security has attracted considerable attention recently. A prerequisite for available works is the precise distinction between legitimate nodes and eavesdroppers. However it is unrealistic in the wireless environment. Error is always existing in the node authentication process. Best of our knowledge, there are no works focus on solving this problem in the information-theoretic security. This paper presents a eavesdropper model with authentication error and two eavesdropping ways. Then, the number of eavesdroppers can be tolerated is analyzed while the desired secrecy is achieved with high probability in the limit of a large number of relay nodes. Final, we draw two conclusions for authentication error: 1) The impersonate nodes are chosen as relay is the dominant factor of the transmitted message leakage, and the impersonation attack does seriously decrease the number of eavesdroppers can be tolerated. 2) The error authentication to legitimate nodes is almost no effect on the number of eavesdroppers can be tolerated.

On the Equivalence Between Interference and Eavesdropping in Wireless Communications

We show that the problem of analyzing the outage probability (OP) in cellular systems affected by cochannel interference (CCI) and background noise (BN) is mathematically equivalent to the problem of analyzing the wireless information-theoretic security in terms of the secrecy OP in fading channels. Hence, these both apparently unrelated problems can be addressed by using a common approach. We illustrate the applicability of the connection unveiled herein to provide new results for the secrecy OP in different scenarios.

Cooperative Transmission against Impersonation Attack and Authentication Error in Two-Hop Wireless Networks

The wireless information-theoretic security from inter-session interference has attracted considerable attention recently. A prerequisite for available works is the precise distinction between legitimate nodes and eavesdroppers. However, the authentication error always exists in the node authentication process in Two-Hop wireless networks. This paper presents an eavesdropper model with authentication error and two eavesdropping ways. Then, the number of eavesdroppers can be tolerated is analyzed while the desired secrecy is achieved with high probability in the limit of a large number of relay nodes. Final, we draw two conclusions for authentication error: 1) the impersonate nodes are chosen as relay is the dominant factor of the transmitted message leakage, and the impersonation attack does seriously decrease the number of eavesdroppers can be tolerated. 2) The error authentication to legitimate nodes is almost no effect on the number of eavesdroppers can be tolerated.

Wireless Information-Theoretic Security in an Outdoor Topology with Obstacles: Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Measurements

This paper presents a Wireless Information-Theoretic Security (WITS) scheme, which has been recently introduced as a robust physical layer-based security solution, especially for infrastructureless networks. An autonomic network of moving users was implemented via 802.11n nodes of an ad hoc network for an outdoor topology with obstacles. Obstructed-Line-of-Sight (OLOS) and Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) propagation scenarios were examined. Low-speed user movement was considered, so that Doppler spread could be discarded. A transmitter and a legitimate receiver exchanged information in the presence of a moving eavesdropper. Average Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) values were acquired for both the main and the wiretap channel, and the Probability of Nonzero Secrecy Capacity was calculated based on theoretical formula. Experimental results validate theoretical findings stressing the importance of user location and mobility schemes on the robustness of Wireless Information-Theoretic Security and call for further theoretical analysis.

Wireless Information-Theoretic Security

This paper considers the transmission of confidential data over wireless channels. Based on an information-theoretic formulation of the problem, in which two legitimates partners communicate over a quasi-static fading channel and an eavesdropper observes their transmissions through a second independent quasi-static fading channel, the important role of fading is characterized in terms of average secure communication rates and outage probability. Based on the insights from this analysis, a practical secure communication protocol is developed, which uses a four-step procedure to ensure wireless information-theoretic security: (i) common randomness via opportunistic transmission, (ii) message reconciliation, (iii) common key generation via privacy amplification, and (iv) message protection with a secret key. A reconciliation procedure based on multilevel coding and optimized low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes is introduced, which allows to achieve communication rates close to the fundamental security limits in several relevant instances. Finally, a set of metrics for assessing average secure key generation rates is established, and it is shown that the protocol is effective in secure key renewal-even in the presence of imperfect channel state information.