Detecting attacks on a VLC system

Abstract

Nowadays, the amount of Internet Protocol (IP) traffic in telecommunication systems is increasing tremendously and in a very fast pace, making the WiFi incapable of supporting such a huge amount of data transmitted with high rates. Thus, finding a new substitute for WiFi became an urgent concern. One of the solutions proposed in the literature is Light-Fidelity (LiFi) which is a visible light communication based system. Among the characteristics of such a model is the security of the information transmitted. As light can not break through walls, the data transmitted within a closed room will stay nested in it and will be out of reach for potential attackers outside. Also thanks to the directivity of light, only users inside of the covered area are able to detect the signal. Yet, researches have showed that LiFi is not one hundred percent secure since some attack possibilities have been proved. Consequently, researchers have proposed techniques to protect LiFi systems from these potential attacks. In our project, we propose a physical-layer security technique based on an encryption model for fixed LiFi communication systems. This technique blocks the information from the potential attacker and notifies the receiver in case malicious information is received. Also, it enables the victim to construct information on the Channel Impulse Response (CIR) of the attacker. Such information can be efficient in case the attacker is a user within the network, i.e. its CIR is known by the receiver, as it helps revealing his identity and ultimately blocking him from the system.