Enhancing Security of Wimax Communication System Using Diffie Hellman Algorithm

Abstract

The Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is a new technology was recently rolled out. WiMAX defines Privacy Key Management (PKM) protocol in the security sub-layer, which assures the security of connections access in WiMAX channel. PKM protocol has two goals, one is to provide the authorization process and the other is to secure distribution of keying data from the Base Station (BS) to Mobile Station (MS). PKM uses X.509 certificates and symmetric cryptography to secure key exchange between an SS and a BS. Currently, there are two versions of PKM. The PKMv1 process involves a one sided authentication while PKMv2 allows for mutual authentication but after transfer of vital management information. The BS network authenticates the (Subscriber station) SS but the SS has no capacity to authenticate a BS. As a result, a rogue BS can successfully enter the network of a SS without prevention. The rogue BS can then tap all the unencrypted management messages. This constitutes a major security flaw. In this research, a modification of the Diffie-Hellman (DH) key exchange protocol was done to mitigate the man-in-the middle attack in WiMAX by modeling using the Dev C++. The DH protocol is appropriate for enhancing security because of its mutual authentication capabilities. This protocol uses a unique algorithm whose solution must be obtained by both the SS and the BS for communication to be allowed. From the simulation, the DH protocol only allows a genuine BS to access the SS network after successful mutual authentication while a rogue BS is denied access into the network even after several attempts on the algorithm. The DH protocol therefore enhances the security in the SS of the WIMAX network. The results show that no management information is passed in the process of DH algorithm solution. Consequently, safety is enhanced when the SS and the BS solve the algorithm.