Modeling and the Effectiveness Evaluation of Signal-Like Interference Exploiting the Vulnerabilities of the RTS / CTS Mechanism in 802.11 Networks

The object of consideration is wireless networks of the 802.11 standard, options modeling of the active and covert intruder influence on the physical data transmission medium by special signal-like interference creating. The subject of the study is the development of options to create, scenarios and methods to use signal-like interference to simulate the active actions of an attacker at the physical level, exploiting the vulnerabilities of the RTS / CTS collision avoidance mechanism used in 802.11 wireless networks. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the possibility and evaluate the effectiveness to use signal-like interference of a special type aimed at exploiting the vulnerability of the RTS/CTS collision avoidance mechanism of the 802.11 family of standards. The solutions are based on the use of USRP devices in combination with the functionality of the LabVIEW software environment of National Instruments Corporation, developed virtual devices that solve particular problems of monitoring the physical environment, as well as the results of experimental studies of the authors, approbation of these results and technical solutions in the educational process. The result of the study is the formation of the structure and scenarios for the use of signal-like interference to exploit the vulnerability of the RTS/CTS collision bypass mechanism of the 802.11 family of standards. The value of the result is to justify the effectiveness of a new type of malicious impact on a wireless network at the physical level of the OSI model, similar to DoS attacks (DDoS) at the logical level. The result is useful, first of all, for testing the degree of security of wireless networks.