Wireless network security

Abstract

The need for ubiquitous network access and services is fueling tremendous growth of wireless technologies, networks, and applications. Mobile and wireless devices are being increasingly used for a variety of applications including multimedia, information search and retrieval, entertainment, social, business, and medical applications, and sensing and actuation, among others. However, the broadcast nature of wireless communications, wireless device mobility and resource limitations, have given rise to newer security challenges. An understanding of these challenges and potential solutions is necessary for designing secure wireless and mobile systems and applications and, at the very least, for increasing user awareness. In this tutorial, we will first describe security tools, including the cryptographic ones, and then elaborate how these tools can be used to secure wireless networks. Specifically, we will examine security vulnerabilities and solutions related to authentication, private communication, anonymity, and jamming. We will strengthen the concepts we cover with examples from WiFi networks, cellular networks, mobile ad hoc networks, and wireless sensor networks. We will also present some of the commonly deployed wireless security standards.