Wireless Networks Report: Encryption, Security, and Energy Analysis

This report delves into the intricacies of wireless networks, beginning with an examination of three key data encryption standards: AES, DES, and Triple DES, outlining their functionalities and significance in protecting classified information. The report then shifts its focus to the security challenges inherent in WPAN technologies, specifically Bluetooth and ZigBee. It highlights vulnerabilities such as Bluesnarfing, backdoor hacking, Bluejacking, and malware attacks in Bluetooth, and physical and remote attacks targeting encryption keys in ZigBee. Finally, the report explores the critical concept of energy harvesting in wireless sensor networks (WSN), detailing various techniques like RF, solar, thermal, flow-based, wind, and hydro-based methods. It underscores the transformative potential of energy harvesting in making wireless networks sustainable and addresses the need for uninterrupted power supply in WSNs. The report references key studies and research papers to support its analysis and conclusions.

Running head: WIRELESS NETWORKS
Wireless Networks
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note

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Table of Contents
Part 1: Three Data Encryption Standards for WIMAX Networks.......................................2
Part 2: Security Challenges of WPAN Technologies..........................................................2
Part 3: Critical Reflection on Energy Harvest.....................................................................3
References............................................................................................................................5

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Part 1: Three Data Encryption Standards for WIMAX Networks
AES: AES or Advanced Encryption Standard is considered to be a block cipher that is
symmetric in nature. The government of U.S has chosen this for the protection of classified
information. This standard is uses identical keys for the purpose of encrypting as well as
decrypting the messages (Karthik & Muruganandam, 2014). This standard can accept any block
size that is 128 bits and three keys like 128, 192 and 256 bits. AES processes the whole block of
data in a parallel manner in every round using the techniques of substitutions as well as
permutations.
DES: Data Encryption Standard is considered to be one of the key standards of
encryption. This is also symmetric in nature (ISLAM & AZAD, 2014). The sender as well as the
receiver is aware of the keys. It was designed by IBM. The size of the key used by DES is 64 bits
but the actual size is 56 bits because 8 bits are used for checking parity. DES is a public standard.
Triple DES: This is an advanced form of DES. The main feature of this algorithm is that
it makes the use of three keys (Barker & Barker, 2012). The encryption technique that is used in
Triple DES is same as that of DES but here it is repeated three times. The first key that is used
for encrypting the data is of size 56 bits (Bhanot & Hans, 2015). The second key that is used for
decrypting the data is of size 112 bits and the third key that is again used for the purpose of
encrypting the data is of size 168 bits.
Part 2: Security Challenges of WPAN Technologies
Bluetooth: The Bluetooth technology is exposed to various security threats as well as
risks. One of the main security issues is the Bluesnarfing attack where an attacker hacks into the

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Bluetooth network. The hacker gets an unauthorized access of the sensitive data present in the
wireless devices and misuses the data (Minar & Tarique, 2012). Bluetooth Technology is also
vulnerable to Backdoor hacking where the devices that are not paired can still get access to the
sensitive data of the devices. In the case of Bluejacking the attacker pretends to be someone else
during the pairing process by renaming its own device (Padgette, 2017). The other devices can
get harmed by pairing up with the attacker’s device. The Bluetooth technology is also vulnerable
to any malware attacks.
ZigBee: ZigBee is a WPAN technology and it is vulnerable to various security risks as
well as threats. A knowledgeable attacker can hack a device that has ZigBee radio. When the
attacker gets access to the device in a physical manner then it can be considered to be a physical
attack. The device’s encryption key is targeted (Zillner & Strobl, 2015). Other types of attack
involve attacking from a far or remote location where the attack tries to imitate a node that is
present in the network (Wang, Jiang & Zhang, 2014). The attacker’s aim is gain access to the
key.
Part 3: Critical Reflection on Energy Harvest
Energy Harvesting can be defined as a process where energy is derived from external or
natural resources like wind energy and solar energy. The problem of energy limitation in case of
WSN can be removed or reduced by the process of energy harvesting. The WSN contains energy
nodes. If these nodes get depleted then the network will face issue and such issues can be
overcome by harvesting mechanism.
Various mechanisms can be used for the purpose of harvesting energy. The RF technique
uses the radio waves in order to convert it into DC power. The solar technique uses the solar

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energy that is abundant in nature in order to harvest energy. The thermal technique uses the heat
energy and converts it into electrical form of energy by the Seebeck effect. In case of flow based
techniques of energy harvesting the rotational movement of turbines are used for generating
electrical form of energy. The wind based technique is also used for the purpose of harvesting
energy (Shaikh & Zeadally, 2016). Hydro based technique uses the movement of falling water
for harnessing energy.
According to Ulukus et al. (2015), the use of energy harvesting concept will bring
transformative changes in the wireless networking technology. The wireless networks will
become sustainable by using the concept and techniques of energy harvesting. The nodes in the
network can continuously acquire energy from the nature as well as from human made
phenomenon. The present battery leakages consume electricity even when the battery is not
being used. The network nodes need uninterrupted supply of power or energy which points out
the requirement of energy harvesting in WSN.

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References
Barker, W. C., & Barker, E. B. (2012). SP 800-67 Rev. 1. Recommendation for the Triple Data
Encryption Algorithm (TDEA) Block Cipher.
Bhanot, R., & Hans, R. (2015). A review and comparative analysis of various encryption
algorithms. International Journal of Security and Its Applications, 9(4), 289-306
ISLAM, E., & AZAD, S. (2014). data encryption standard. Practical Cryptography: Algorithms
and Implementations Using C++, 57.
Karthik, S., & Muruganandam, A. (2014). Data Encryption and Decryption by using Triple DES
and performance analysis of crypto system. International Journal of Scientific
Engineering and Research, 24-31.
Minar, N. B. N. I., & Tarique, M. (2012). Bluetooth security threats and solutions: a
survey. International Journal of Distributed and Parallel Systems, 3(1), 127.
Padgette, J. (2017). Guide to bluetooth security. NIST Special Publication, 800, 121.
Shaikh, F. K., & Zeadally, S. (2016). Energy harvesting in wireless sensor networks: A
comprehensive review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 55, 1041-1054.
Ulukus, S., Yener, A., Erkip, E., Simeone, O., Zorzi, M., Grover, P., & Huang, K. (2015).
Energy harvesting wireless communications: A review of recent advances. IEEE Journal
on Selected Areas in Communications, 33(3), 360-381.
Wang, C., Jiang, T., & Zhang, Q. (Eds.). (2014). ZigBee® network protocols and applications.
CRC Press.

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Zillner, T., & Strobl, S. (2015). ZigBee exploited: The good the bad and the ugly.