A New Cross-Layer FPGA-Based Security Scheme for Wireless Networks

Abstract

This chapter presents a new cross-layer security scheme which deploys efficient coding techniques in the physical layer in an upper layer classical cryptographic protocol system. The rationale in designing the new scheme is to enhance security-throughput trade-off in wireless networks which is in contrast to existing schemes which either enhances security at the detriment of data throughput or vice versa. The new scheme is implemented using the residue number system (RNS), nonlinear convolutional coding and subband coding at the physical layer and RSA cryptography at the upper layers. The RNS reduces the huge data obtained from RSA cryptography into small parallel data. To increase the security level, iterated wavelet-based subband coding splits the ciphertext into different levels of decomposition. At subsequent levels of decomposition, the ciphertext from the preceding level serves as data for encryption using convolutional codes. In addition, throughput is enhanced by transmitting small parallel data and the bit error correction capability of non-linear convolutional code. It is shown that, various passive and active attacks common to wireless networks could be circumvented. An FPGA implementation applied to CDMA could fit into a single Virtex-4 FPGA due to small parallel data sizes employed.