An analytical model for primary user emulation attacks in IEEE 802.22 networks

Cognitive radio networks were established by IEEE 802.22 wireless regional area network (WRAN) to allow unlicensed users utilize the idle TV band opportunistically. Although many researches were done for diminishing the effect of security vulnerable, the security issues are still open problems. One of the most important attacks in physical layer of cognitive radio is primary user emulation attack (PUEA). In this paper, comprehensive studies about probability of successful PUEA over general wireless propagation environments are scrutinized. The analyses started with considering path loss/shadowing and also path loss/fading scenarios which are important starting points of investigation a general case. In the general case, the wireless propagation model is supposed consisting of Nakagami-m fading superimposed on lognormal shadowing and path loss with considering IEEE 802.22 standard. Numerical results demonstrate that successful PUEA could be obtained at long distance of a good secondary user by increasing the number of collaborative malicious users.