Efficiency analysis of jamming-based countermeasures against malicious timing channel in tactical communications

Abstract

A covert channel is a communication channel that creates a capability to transfer information between entities that are not supposed to communicate. A relevant instance of covert channels is represented by timing channels, where information is encoded in timing between events. Timing channels may result very critical in tactical scenarios where even malicious nodes can communicate in an undisclosed way. Jamming is commonly used to disrupt this kind of threatening wireless covert communications. However jamming, to be effective, should guarantee limited energy consumption. In this paper, an analysis of energy-constrained jamming systems used to attack malicious timing channels is presented. Continuous and reactive jamming systems are discussed in terms of their effect on the achievable covert channel capacity and jammer energy consumption. Also, a simple experimental set up is illustrated and used to identify proper operating points where jamming against malicious timing channels is effective while achieving limited energy consumption.