Deploying Man-In-the-Middle Attack on IoT Devices Connected to Long Range Wide Area Networks (LoRaWAN)

Abstract

Advancements in research and innovation on Smart IoT technology have provided quality of life to physical and visually impaired users. However, deploying Man-In-the-Middle (MITM) attacks on IoT devices that use Long Range Wide Area Networks (LoRaWAN) has increased exponentially due to the high user demand and increased access to the internet. As a result, there is a high probability of user data being exploited, especially on visually impaired user IoT devices, by penetrating the network devices leading to cyberattacks such as remote access, extortion, sabotage, and loss of internet access. This paper explores the methods used by threat actors to deploy MITM attacks on IoT devices that use LoRaWAN to detect vulnerabilities, understand attack patterns and assist in understanding human factors in cyber security. The contribution of this paper is threefold: First, we review the existing attacks on IoT devices and their impact on visually impaired users. Secondly, we implement a MITM attack using an open-source tool to exploit the LoRaWAN to determine the vulnerabilities. Finally, we recommend a control mechanism to improve security. The results show that the MITM attack can be replicated on devices, demonstrating the importance of creating more robust security to prevent information or identity theft without the user's permission.