Evaluation of LTE/LTE-A Network Security

This report evaluates the security of LTE/LTE-A network, including a comparison of existing cellular networks, architecture of LTE/LTE-A, evaluation of attacks on access and core networks, and identification of high criticality attack and countermeasures.

Running head: EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
Evaluation of LTE/ LTE-A Network Security
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..............................................................................................................................................2
1. Comparison of Existing Cellular Networks.....................................................................................2
2. Architecture of LTE/ LTE A.............................................................................................................4
3. Evaluation of LTE/ LTE A Attacks on Access and Core Networks....................................................6
4. Identification and Analysis of High Criticality Attack and Countermeasures for this Attack..........6
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................7
References.............................................................................................................................................8

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
Introduction
Wireless network could be easily and specifically defined as a computer network that
eventually uses wireless data connectivity between the two distinct nodes of network [5]. The
significant wireless network is a method, through which various networks of telecommunication and
business installation are evading the costly procedure for the introduction or installation of the
cables in a building or even the connectivity between various equipment locations. All of the
networks of telecommunication networks can be promptly implemented or even administered by
considering radio communications. The most important or vital examples of these wireless networks
can be the networks of cell phone, wireless sensors, wireless LAN, satellite communication, LTE or
the Long Term Evolution and several others [10]. This particular report will be highlighting the
various relevant factors regarding the various wireless networks and especially the network of LTE
and LTE advanced. A distinct comparison will be done between four popular cellular networks.
Moreover, various attacks on LTE network are being evaluated and the most vulnerable attack will
be analyzed as well as countermeasures will be given here.
Discussion
1. Comparison of Existing Cellular Networks
The comparison of the existing four cellular networks of LTE, Wi-Fi, GSM and WiMax is as
follows:
Seria
l No.
Main
Charact
eristics
LTE/LTE-A Wi-Fi GSM WiMax
a) Commu
nication
Spectru
m
Communication
spectrum of
LTE/LTE A
network
comprises of few
frequency bands
of LTE allocations.
The most recent
bands of LTE are
within 1 as well as
The distinct
communication
spectrum of the
Wi-Fi network is
within the range
of 2.4 GHz to 5
GHz [12].
There are 14
bands of
frequency for
GSM network.
These frequency
bands start
from 380 MHz
to 1900 MHz.
The WiMax network is
divided into 11 distinct
frequency bands that
are EHF, SHF, UHF,
VHF, HF, MF, LF, VLF,
ULF, SLF and ELF [8].
The frequencies are
30GHz to 300 GHz,
3GHz to 30 GHz,
300MHz to 3000 MHz,

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
22 for any paired
spectrum. The
bands of LTE are
within 33 as well
as 44 for any
unpaired
spectrum.
30MHz to 300 MHz,
3MHz to 30 MHz,
300KHz to 3000 KHz,
30KHz to 300 KHz,
3KHz to 30 KHz, 300Hz
to 3000 Hz, 30Hz to
300 Hz, 3Hz to 30 Hz.
b) Modula
tion
Techniq
ues
QPSK, 64QAM
and 16QAM are
the three
modulation
techniques for
LTE.
QPSK and CCK
are the two
modulation
techniques for
Wi-Fi [1].
GMSK is the
only one
modulation
technique of
GSM.
QPSK, 64QAM, 16QAM
and BPSK are the four
modulation techniques
for WiMax [9].
c) Medium
Access
Control
Mechan
ism
The medium
access
mechanism of the
LTE network is by
down linked the
throughput of a
cell of LTE for
catering feedback
schemes of CQI.
The medium
access
mechanism of
the Wi-Fi
network relies
on nodes
number,
throughput and
power
consumption
[7].
The medium
access
mechanism of
the GSM
network is
eventually
designed to
maximize the
utilization of
spectrum by
RLC and PDCP
protocols.
The medium access
mechanism of the
WiMax network is that
only those areas are
covered that have
higher speed of
transmission.
d) Networ
k Speed
and
Bandwi
dth
Utilizati
on
Network speed of
the LTE is about
50 Mbps and
usage of
bandwidth is
pertaining the
radio planning for
accepting radio
interface loads
The network
speed of Wi-Fi
differs in actual
and theoretical.
This theoretical
speed
eventually starts
from 11 Mbps
to 600 Mbps;
Network speed
of the GSM
network is
about 7.2 Mega
bytes per
second and this
bandwidth is
sub divided into
124 carrier
Network speed of the
WiMax is about
40Mbps and its
bandwidth is beign
shared between
various terminals [4].

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
[6]. whereas actual
speed is from
5.5 Mbps to 100
Mbps.
frequencies.
e) Security
Techniq
ues and
Risks
The most
significant risks of
security for LTE
network are
network
manipulation and
the man in the
middle attacks.
The encryption
technique is the
security
technique in LTE
[12].
The most
significant risks
of security for
Wi-Fi are
cracking attacks
and war driving.
Passwords and
encryption
techniques are
the security
techniques.
The most
significant risks
of security for
GSM network
are network
manipulation
and DoS attacks.
Authentication
is the security
technique.
The most significant
risks of security for
WiMax are man in the
middle attacks and DoS
attacks.
Authentications as well
as encryption are the
two security
techniques [8].
2. Architecture of LTE/ LTE A
The LTE or the LTE A architecture is extremely simple in comparison to the other networks.
Three distinct components or elements are present for any specific network. The three components
of the LTE architecture are E UTRAN or evolved UMTS terrestrial radio access networks, EPC or
evolved packet core and finally UE or the user equipment [7]. The respective internal architecture
for this user equipment of LTE consists of three specific modules, which are MT or the mobile
termination, which helps to handle communication functions, TE or terminal equipment, which helps
in termination of data streams and finally UICC or Universal Integrated Circuit Card, which helps to
run several applications, known as Universal Subscriber Identity Modules or USIM.
The distinct architecture for E-UTRAN or evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network is
as follows:

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
Figure 1: Architecture of E-UTRAN
(Source: Zhang et al. 2015)
The next portion is Evolved Packet Core or EPC that has three elements of Policy Control and
Charging Rules Function or PCRF, Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Systems or ETWS and finally
Equipment Identity Registers or EIR [10].
Figure 2: EPC Architecture

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
(Source: Astely et al. 2013)
3. Evaluation of LTE/ LTE A Attacks on Access and Core Networks
LTE or the LTE A is the most popular and advanced version of wireless network. Hence,
various types of attacks are extremely common on the core network as well as access network for
LTE and the advanced version of LTE [7]. The several significant attacks of LTE are as follows:
i) Denial of Service Attack: The first and the foremost significant attack, which is dangerous
for LTE network is DoS attack. Here the perpetrator or attacker seeks into the specific machine with
the major purpose of denying the access to that machine [5]. The authenticated user has no idea
about this attack.
ii) Manipulation of Networks: The next type of nefarious attack of LTE for the core network
and access network is the manipulation of network. This is very common for LTE wireless network, in
which the attacker will be manipulating this network and then that data would be received by the
attacker. Thus, the integrity as well as confidentiality of the data is lost [1].
iii) DNS Redirection Attacks: Another popular and important LTE attack for the core network
and access network is the domain name server redirection attack. This particular attack redirects the
various queries of the authenticated user within the DNS by the simple overridden of TCP and IP
protocols in computers [6].
iv) Man in the Middle Attack: This type of attack occurs when the attacker is present within
the intended user and the specific network. This attack relays and changes the message to be passed
on between the sender and the receiver, hence losing integrity or confidentiality of data [9].
4. Identification and Analysis of High Criticality Attack and Countermeasures for this Attack
The four above mentioned attacks are vulnerable for the LTE and LTE A network. The attack,
which is of highest criticality, is DNS Redirection attack, where the DNS queries are subverted and
the resolution of this server is being changed. The respective IP or TCP configuration is then
overridden by DNS hijacking [3]. The modification of the trusted DNS server is done by the attacker
for the compilation with various internet standards. The attacker then controls the entire domain
name server subsequently.
This type of attack could be easily avoided by undertaking few countermeasures [11]. The
first countermeasure of this LTE attack is by enhancing the overall cyber securities for positioning of
cache. The next important countermeasure for the DNS hijacking is the selection of domain registrar
and offering of multi factor authentication.

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
Conclusion
Therefore, from this report, conclusion could be drawn that wireless network is the typical
computer network that is subsequently not connected by cables or wires. There is a significant use
of the wireless network for the purpose of enabling the companies to specifically avoid an expensive
and unaffordable process of the installation of the cables. Long term evolution or LTE is the most
important and significant example of the wireless network and is being used worldwide. The
advanced version of this LTE is the LTE advanced. All of the various kinds of the wireless networks
have the responsibility to provide the advanced service with higher bandwidths, better effectiveness
and efficiencies of the spectrum and lower latencies. However, all of these kinds of the wireless
networks often face various dangerous or nefarious attacks or risks. These types of security risks
should be mitigated properly to obtain better efficiency from the network. Furthermore, the data
integrity is significantly lost by these security threats. The above report has properly depicted the
concise discussion on the long term evolution or LTE and LTE advanced with significant and relevant
details. The comparison of few cellular networks, architecture of LTE and the various risks of this
network are given here. A proper identification of the highest criticality attack is done and
countermeasures are provided for it.

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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
References
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EVALUATION OF LTE/LTE-A NETWORK SECURITY
[10] Liu, Jiajia, Nei Kato, Jianfeng Ma, and Naoto Kadowaki. "Device-to-device communication in LTE-
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