Spectrum sharing security and attacks in CRNs: a review

Cognitive Radio plays a major part in communication technology by resolving the shortage of the spectrum through usage of dynamic spectrum access and artificial intelligence characteristics. The element of spectrum sharing in cognitive radio is a fundament al approach in utilising free channels. Cooperatively communicating cognitive radio devices use the common control channel of the cognitive radio medium access control to achieve spectrum sharing. Thus, the common control channel and consequently spectrum sharing security are vital to ensuring security in the subsequent data communication among cognitive radio nodes. In addition to well known security problems in wireless networks, cognitive radio networks introduce new classes of security threats and challenges, such as licensed user emulation attacks in spectrum sensing and misbehaviours in the common control channel transactions, which degrade the overall network operation and performance. This review paper briefly presents the known threats and attacks in wireless networks before it looks into the concept of cognitive radio and its main functionality. The paper then mainly focuses on spectrum sharing security and its related challenges. Since spectrum sharing is enabled through usage of the common control channel, more attention is paid to the security of the common control channel by looking into its security threats as well as protection and detection mechanisms. Finally, the pros and cons as well as the comparisons of different CR - specific security mechanisms are presented with some open research issues and challenges

A novel common control channel security framework for cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio technology makes use of the underutilised spectrum opportunistically without causing interference to the primary users. Cooperatively communicating cognitive radio devices use the common control channel of the cognitive radio medium access control to perform free channel announcements, channel selection and channel reservation before any actual data transmission. Common control channel security is vital in order to ensure security in the subsequent communication among the cognitive radio nodes. Additional to well-known security problems in wireless networks, cognitive radio networks introduce new classes of security threats and challenges, such as misbehaviours in spectrum sensing, licensed user emulation and attacks in the common control channel transactions. This paper presents a novel common control channel security framework (protocol) for cooperatively communicating cognitive radio networks. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first paper to address the security requirements of the common control channel. An implementation of the proposed security protocol is discussed illustrating how two cognitive radio nodes can authenticate each other prior to any confidential common control channel negotiations. The protocol is formally validated by GNY logic and a security analysis of the protocol illustrates that it meets the principal security requirements of authentication, confidentiality, integrity and non-repudiation