WiMAX Handbook: Building 802.16 Wireless Networks
Describing how WiMAX affects current telecom technologies including Wi-Fi, fiber optics, and VoIP, this book discusses the business and economic implications of this ground-breaking technology.
TABLE OF CONTENTS WiMAX Handbook: Building 802.16 Wireless Networks
Chapter 7: Security and 802.16 WiMAX
Security in WiMAX Networks
A major objection service providers have toward broadband wireless access networks is security. Will the wireless protocol provide adequate security to prevent theft of service, thus protecting their investment in the wireless infrastructure? Will the privacy of their subscribers be protected from hackers who might ultimately perpetrate identity theft? The WiMAX specification offers some very powerful security measures, making casual theft of service impossible. WiMAX subscribers need not fear for their privacy while utilizing this wireless service.
The Security Sublayer
The WiMAX specification includes a security sublayer that provides subscribers with privacy across the fixed broadband wireless network. It does this by encrypting connections between the SS and BS. In addition, the security sublayer provides operators with strong protection against theft of service. The BS protects against unauthorized access to this data transport service by enforcing encryption of the associated service flows across the network. The privacy sublayer employs an authenticated client/server key management protocol in which the BS, the server, controls distribution of keying material to its client SSs. Additionally, adding digital certificate-based SS authentication to its key management protocol strengthens the basic privacy mechanisms. Figure 7-1 illustrates the relationship of the MAC privacy layer with the MAC and physical layers.
(Source: Intel)
Figure 7-1: PHY and MAC layers of WiMAX specification showing MAC privacy sublayer
Security Architecture in WiMAX Privacy in the WiMAX specification has two component protocols:
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An encapsulation protocol for encrypting packet data across the fixed broadband wireless access (BWA) network.
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