Wireless Frame Integrity Protection with Padded Block Acknowledgements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ensuring sufficient performance and security in wireless communications systems, particularly in preventing man-in-the-middle attacks, is challenging due to issues with proper frame reception and data integrity verification.
Innovation Solution
Implementing integrity-protected frames and block acknowledgement frames with padding to accommodate processing delays for message integrity checks, and performing integrity checks before, after, or both before and after transmitting the frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If integrity protection is implemented for frames and block acknowledgement frames, then data integrity and security are improved, but processing time increases due to the need to generate and verify message integrity checks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing integrity checks before transmitting block acknowledgement frames. The receiving device verifies the message integrity check of the received frame before generating its response, and the transmitting device verifies the integrity of the block acknowledgement frame before transmission. This advance verification ensures data integrity is maintained throughout the communication protocol without requiring additional time during the actual data transmission phase.
2Reliability
If padding is added to frames to accommodate processing delays, then reliability is improved by ensuring proper frame reception, but the size of the frame increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the padding length in frames based on processing delay requirements. The padding field is configured to accommodate specific processing delays associated with generating and verifying message integrity checks, allowing the frame structure to adapt to varying computational requirements without using excessive fixed padding, thus minimizing unnecessary frame size increase while ensuring reliable reception.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If integrity checks are performed before transmitting block acknowledgement frames, then security against man-in-the-middle attacks is improved, but the complexity of the communication protocol increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by implementing a verification mechanism where the receiving device checks the message integrity check value of received frames before generating block acknowledgement frames, and the transmitting device verifies the integrity of transmitted block acknowledgement frames. This feedback loop ensures that only authenticated and unmodified frames are processed, providing security against man-in-the-middle attacks while maintaining a relatively simple protocol structure through standardized verification steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system is provided in which access points (APs) communicate with stations (STAs). The APs and STAs may convey integrity-protected frames. The APs and STAs may integrity check the integrity-protected frames. The APs and STAs may transmit integrity-protected block acknowledgement (BA) frames in response to receiving integrity-protected frames. The APs and STAs may integrity check the integrity-protected BA frames. Padding may be inserted into the integrity-protected frames and/or BA frames to accommodate processing delays associated with generating and verifying message integrity checks (MICs) in the frames and/or BA frames. Integrity checking the frames may be performed before, after, or both before and after transmitting a corresponding BA frame.