Wireless Communication Assessment

1
Wireless Communication Assessment

2
Table of Contents
Task 1......................................................................................................................... 3
Comparison of data encryption standards for WiMAX Networks.............................3
Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol
(CCMP):................................................................................................................ 3
Triple Data Encryption Standard(3DES):..............................................................3
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES):.................................................................3
Task 2:........................................................................................................................ 4
Security challenges for WPAN technologies............................................................4
Bluetooth:............................................................................................................ 4
ZigBee:................................................................................................................. 4
Task 3:........................................................................................................................ 5
Reflection on the topic of Energy Harvest...............................................................5
Introduction.......................................................................................................... 5
Discussion............................................................................................................ 5
Analysis................................................................................................................ 6
Explanation.......................................................................................................... 7

3
Task 1
Comparison of data encryption standards for WiMAX Networks
Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP):
It employs 128-bit keys and a 48-bit initialization vector which minimizes replay attacks
vulnerability (Syed A. Ahson, Ocober 2012). Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining
Message Authentication Code Protocol provides data privacy, authentication, and integrity.
CCMP encryption standard may need more advanced hardware since it requires extra processing
power.
Triple Data Encryption Standard(3DES):
Triple data encryption standard uses three keys that are different each with a length of 56-bit.
The three keys often cause the performance to be slow in most software, and therefore the Triple
Data Encryption Standard is getting obsolete with time.
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES):
Advanced Encryption Standard supports 128-bit, 192-bit and 256-bit encryption keys (Jeffrey G.
Andrews A. G., 2011). It is, therefore, faster than Triple Data Encryption Standard which uses
56-bit encryption keys. Advanced Encryption Standard uses less memory and is easily
implemented. However, Advanced Encryption Standard is not used by all end-user terminal
keeping Triple Data Encryption Standard still in use (Alejandro Aragn, September 5, 2017).

4
Task 2:
Security challenges for WPAN technologies.
Bluetooth:
Bluetooth Wireless, Personal Area Networks, are vulnerable to eavesdropping (Kevin Townsend,
May 22, 2014). An attacker may make an independent connection with the involved victims and
send messages between the two in a way that makes them think they are only communicating
with each other on the private connection (Heydon, November 7, 2012).
ZigBee:
ZigBee’s security layer is built on the Residential mode security mode which uses a single key
for all the personal Area Network in all the connected applications (Faludi, January 3, 2011). The
main security vulnerability in this mode is the lack of a security protection of packets from a
suspected malicious node within the network.