Security of Wireless Networks AS18

Autumn semester 2018
Course no. 252-1411-00L, (5 ECTS)

Lecture: Tuesday, 13-15h, in  ML building, room F34

Exercises: every second Friday, 10-12h, in protected page CAB E 87.2 (enter via 88.1).

Course responsible: Srdjan Capkun (srdjan.capkun@inf.ethz.ch)
Assistants: Mridula Singh and Patrick Leu

For any issues, contact us at the following e-mail address: sown@lists.inf.ethz.ch

Course description

Core elements: Wireless communication channel, Wireless network architectures and protocols, Attacks on wireless networks, Protection techniques.

Course content: Wireless channel basics. Wireless electronic warfare: jamming and target tracking. Basic security protocols in cellular, WLAN and multi-hop networks. Recent advances in security of multi-hop networks; RFID privacy challenges and solutions.

Learning objectives: After this course, the students should be able to: describe and classify security goals and attacks in wireless networks; describe security architectures of the following wireless systems and networks: 802.11, GSM/UMTS, RFID, ad hoc/sensor networks; reason about security protocols for wireless network; implement mechanisms to secure 802.11 networks.

Evaluation:
Written exam= 80% of the grade
20% exercises and related reports

Detailed content

  1. Wireless Electronic Warfare
    basics (wireless channel equations)
    jamming and antijamming
    low-probability of intercept signals (LPI)
    source localization techniques
    Related exercise: cantenna
  2. Security of WiFi networks
    802.11 architecture and protocols
    (un)authorized access: MAC filtering, WEP, WPA, 802.1X, 802.11i
    Selfish behavior in WiFi networks
    Related exercises: WiFi security issues
  3. Security of Cellular networks
    GSM and UMTS security architectures
    Attacks on GSM networks
  4. Security in wireless multi-hop networks
    architectures and protocols
    naming and addressing
    key establishment/management
    secure distributed computing
    thwarting selfish behavior
  5. Secure RFID systems
    readers and tags
    security issues: privacy, forgery, sabotage
    RFID security protocols
  6. Special (research) topics
    wireless device pairing
    broadcast authentication
    secure localization and time synchronization
    ....

Lab Exercises

Labs will be organized in separate groups and all will be held in protected page CAB E 87.2. Lab materials will be released progressively throughout the semester.

Lab group assignments: [Download PDF (PDF, 13 KB)]

Lab manual: [Download PDF (PDF, 1.3 MB)]

DSSS content [Download zip file (ZIP, 3 KB)]

Cantenna project instructions: [Download PDF (PDF, 195 KB)]