Openwifi CSI fuzzer for authorized sensing and covert channels (accepted by ACM WiSec 2021)
CSI (Channel State Information) of WiFi systems is available in some WiFi chips and can be used for sensing the environment (keystrokes, people, object) passively and secretly.
How could a CSI fuzzer stop unauthorized sensing?
CSI fuzzer implementation principle.
Thanks to the full-duplex capability and CSI extraction feature of openwifi, you can monitor the artificial channel response via side channel by Tx-Rx over the air coupling without affecting the normal operation/traffic of openwifi. Before the self-monitoring, the auto-mute during Tx needs to be disabled.
The full demo steps are:
ssh [email protected]
(password: openwifi)
cd openwifi
./fosdem-11ag.sh
(setup openwifi AP)
./sdrctl dev sdr0 set reg xpu 1 1
(Disable auto-muting to listen self-TX)
insmod side_ch.ko num_eq_init=0
./side_ch_ctl wh1h2001
./side_ch_ctl wh6hffffffff
(Let's only monitor self-beacon-TX CSI over-the-air loopback)
./side_ch_ctl g1
Go to openwifi/user_space/side_ch_ctl_src, and run python3 side_info_display.py 0. You should see the over-the-air loopback CSI when CSI fuzzer is not enabled. Then stop the python3 side_info_display.py script to ease the next step.
Start another ssh session to the openwifi board:
ssh [email protected]
(password: openwifi)
cd openwifi
./csi_fuzzer_scan.sh 1
(CSI fuzzer applies possible artificial CSI by scanning all values)
(csi_fuzzer.sh is called. Please read both scripts to understand these commands)
Go to openwifi/user_space/side_ch_ctl_src, and run python3 side_info_display.py 0. Now you should see that CSI keeps changing like in this video.
CSI fuzzer in openwifi system architecture and related commands.
CSI self-monitoring before fuzzing.
CSI self-monitoring after fuzzing command: csi_fuzzer.sh 1 45 0 13
csi_fuzzer_scan.sh can scan the c1 and c2 in different styles/modes by calling csi_fuzzer.sh.