Time Synchronization Attacks in IEEE802.15.4e Networks

Time synchronization is very important in many sensor network applications especially in industrial wireless network. If an adversary launches time synchronization attacks to the industrial wireless networks, the whole network communications will be paralyzed. However, the time synchronization is not insufficient to be protected in the current industrial wireless standards which based on IEEE802.15.4e standard. So it is crucial to depth study time synchronization method of attack and defense in IEEE802.15.4e networks. In this paper we give a survey of time synchronization in IEEE802.15.4e networks and point out the possible attacks. It includes ASN attack, Message manipulation attack, Node identity attack and Pulse-delay attack. Then we propose some countermeasures against these attacks. Finally, we perform message manipulation attack experiments. The experiment results show that the proposed mechanisms can defend against these attacks.