A comparison of wi-fi and wimax with case studies - Florida State ...

4.3.1.2.4.2. Overall Analysis
Figure 4-5 Encryption Frame Structure and Process
Learning from the experience from IEEE 802.11, the IEEE 802.16 working group faces
security threats both in the MAC and PHY levels. 802.11 only has protections in the MAC level
cannot present against attacks from PHY-Level. 802.16 progression has many good functions,
however it also brings with it an increase of threats to users
The initial standard IEEE 802.16-2001 requires an attacker to put real equipment between
SS and BS and also operate at a frequency of 10 to 66 GHz. The IEEE 802.16e adds mobility to
the standard; however it creates a security risk. Now, an attacker’s physical position is not really
constrained and the management messages are much weaker than IEEE 802.11.
With radio transmission, there is a great risk. Anyone who has a proper well located receiver
can intercept the channel. So the designers have to establish a safety mechanism. The other threat
is that anybody who has a correctly configured radio transmitter can access the wireless network.
Through this weakness, an attacker can make up or modify frames from authorized organizations.
Therefore there must be a procedure to protect the transmitting data. Furthermore, the
interference and distance may also give attackers a chance to intrude the system or two systems
which cannot connect to each other directly. Thus, how to protect a system and examine the
received data are also very important to designers.
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