Covert channels on the wireless networks of the standard 802.11

N. A. Grusho

Institute of Informatics Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, 44-2 Vavilov Str., Moscow 119333, Russian Federation

Abstract: The paper studies the possibility of building a covert channel using the header of the 802.11 standard frame and some features of functioning of wireless networks based on these standards. To construct a covert channel, the principles of a wireless network, the connection and disconnection processes of wireless clients, and the structure of the network frame have to be described. To confirm the possibility of using the header of the network frame and the mechanism of deauthentification of a wireless client for covert communication, the paper describes the layout, which includes the necessary hardware and software, and experiments. The experimental results confirm the possibility of building covert channels in 802.11 wireless networks. Authors propose a way of using covert channels described in the article as well as the methods of eliminating them.

Keywords: computer science; computer networks; wireless networks; information security; covert channels.

Received: 01.08.2014

DOI: 10.14357/08696527140303

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