Comprehensive Security Analysis and DoS Attack Mitigation in Thread Networks
Kumar Murugesan, Muralidhara VN, Tirth Master · 2025
Thread is a low-power IPv6-based mesh networking protocol for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, operating over the IEEE 802.15.4 low-rate wireless personal area network standard. While it offers native IP support and secure communication, this paper presents a comprehensive security analysis of the Thread network, identifying critical vulnerabilities that expose the network to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks during the commissioning process. These vulnerabilities, especially in large-scale IoT deployments, can disrupt device authentication and network operations by exploiting the Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) protocol during commissioning. To address these risks, we propose a mitigation strategy that introduces a locally generated verification cookie at the Joiner Router to strengthen the DTLS handshake process. This modification effectively prevents message am-plification and mitigates DoS attacks without compromising network performance. Our experimental analysis, conducted using the OpenThread simulation framework, demonstrates the robustness of this solution. These findings contribute to the security and resilience of Thread-based IoT networks, ensuring more secure device commissioning and operation in real-world environments.