TrustedAP: Using the Ethereum Blockchain to Mitigate the Evil Twin Attack
Phil Fox · 2021
The wireless network Evil Twin Attack (ETA) is still only partially mitigated decades after the advent of wireless networking. An ETA is a spoofing attack wherein a malicious actor creates a convincing copy of a wireless network Access Point (AP) by duplicating a Service Set ID (SSID) and/or corresponding Message Access Control (MAC) addresses. We introduce TrustedAP: A blockchain-based solution that provides means for clients' (End Users') verification of AP devices as trustworthy using minimal (if any) connected time. We intend to use the Ethereum blockchain and smart contracts as a medium for an End User to challenge an AP's trustworthiness. Next, the AP (or AP trust-managing entity) delivers a sound, unique response to both the blockchain via smart contract and the requesting End User by a network channel. The End User validates an AP response using cryptographic integrity-preserving tools alongside an additional capacity for auditing an AP ownership chain. Once validated, clients have a very strong reason to believe that their connection is trustworthy, genuine, and under positive control of the intended public WiFi provider.