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DAIR: Dense Array of Inexpensive Radios

Managing Enterprise Wireless Networks Using Desktop Infrastructure

Victor Bahl†, Jitendra Padhye†, Lenin Ravnindranath†, Manpreet Singh‡,

Alec Wolman†, Brian Zill†

† Microsoft Research ‡ Cornell University

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Observations

• Outfitting a desktop PC with 802.11 wireless is becoming very inexpensive– Wireless USB dongles are cheap

– PC motherboards are starting toappear with 802.11 radios built-in

• Desktop PC’s with good wired connectivity are ubiquitous in enterprises

$6.99!

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Key Insight

• Combine to provide a dense deployment of wireless “sensors”

• We can use this platform to realize the full potential of wireless networks– Enterprise wireless management tools– Enable new services where wireless is a key

component

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The DAIR Platform

Wireless management tools

– Improve security

– Reduce IT ops costs

– Increase “quality of service”

New applications and services

– Location services

– Seamless roaming

– Alternative data distribution channel

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Outline

• Motivation

• DAIR architecture

• Management apps (& Rogue networks)

• Related work

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Enterprise WLAN Management

• Corporations spend a lot on WLAN infrastructure– Worldwide enterprise WLAN business expected to

grow from $1.1 billion this year to $3.5 billion in 2009– MS IT dept. – 72% of costs are people

• Security and reliability are major concerns– Wireless networks are becoming a target for hackers

– Reliability: • MS IT receives ~500 WLAN helpdesk requests per month• No easy way to measure cost of reliability problems

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Advantages of the DAIR Approach

– High density• Wireless propagation is highly variable in enterprise

environments (many obstructions)• Lots of channels to cover: 11 for 802.11b/g, 13 for 802.11a • Improves fidelity of many management tasks• Enables accurate location (useful as a diagnosis tool)

– Stationary sensing• Provides predictable coverage• Also helps enable location services• Allows meaningful historical analysis

– Desktop resources • Spare CPU, disk, and memory• Good connectivity to wired network• Wall power

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Outline

• Motivation

• DAIR architecture

• Management apps (& Rogue networks)

• Related work

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DAIR Architecture

Air Monitor

Inference Engine

Land Monitors

Database

USB Dongle

Air Monitors

Commands and Database Queries

Air Monitor

USB Dongle

CommandsSummarized

Data

Summarized Data From Monitors

Data to Inference Engine

Data from database

Wired Network

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Command Processor

Filter Processor

Driver Interface

Filter

WiFi Parser

SQL Client

Remote Object

Command (Enable/Disable Filter/

Send Packets)Heart Beat

CommandIssuer

Custom Wireless Driver SQL Server

Deliver Packets to all the Registered Filters

Enable/Disable Filters

Enable/Disable Promiscuous/Logging

Summarized Packet Information

Dump summarized data into the SQL Tables

Get Packets/Info from the Device

Send Packets/Query Driver

Monitor Architecture

DHCP Parser

Other Parser

Wired NIC Driver

FilterFilter

Sender

Packet

Packet Constructor

Send Packet

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Outline

• Motivation

• DAIR architecture

• Management apps (& Rogue networks)

• Related work

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Wireless Management Apps

Performance and Reliability• Performance monitoring

– Site planning: AP placement, frequency selection

– AP Load balancing– Isolating performance problems

• Helping disconnected clients– RF Holes– Misconfiguration, certificates, etc…

• Reliability– Recovery from malfunctioning APs– Recovery from poor association policies

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Wireless Management: Security Apps

• Detecting DoS attacks:– Spoofing Disassociation– Large NAV values– Jamming

• Detecting Rogue Wireless Networks

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Rogue Wireless Networks

• Detecting rogue APs and rogue ad-hoc networks

• An uninformed or careless employee who doesn’t understand (or chooses not to think about) the security implications

– An employee brings in an AP from home, and attaches it to the corporate network, creating a rogue AP

– It is trivial to configure a desktop PC with a wireless interface to create a rogue ad-hoc network

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Risks

• Attaching unauthorized AP to a corporate network– May allow unauthorized wireless clients to gain

access

• A wireless client unknowingly connects to unauthorized AP on unauthorized network– May expose corporate information on that network

• Once rogue network is installed, physical proximity is no longer needed (esp. with directional antennas)…

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A Simple Solution?

• Build a database of known:– SSIDs (network names) – BSSIDs (access point MAC addresses)

• Use DAIR infrastructure to scan– Whenever an unknown entity appears (either

SSID or BSSID), raise an alarm

• This is the level at which most previous work solves this problem

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False Alarms

• In many enterprise environments, one can hear other legitimate APs– E.g. shared office buildings

• Is the unknown wireless network connected to your corporate wired network?

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Testing for Wired Connectivity

• Association test– Associate with suspect AP, contact wired node

• Mac address tests:– First-hop router test

• Wireless “DEST” = known router on wired network

– ARP test• Wireless “DEST” = known entity on local subnet

• DHCP signature test– For wireless routers: Identify device type through DHCP options

• Packet correlation test– Use timing and packet lengths to see traffic on both wired/wireless

• Replay test

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First-Hop Router Test

Land Monitor Air Monitor

Subnet RouterDatabase

Land Monitor discovers MAC addresses of all subnet routers, submits results to the database

Client

AirMonitor overhears a client communicating with an unknown access point

Access Point

?

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First-Hop Router Test

Unencrypted Header Encrypted Payload

Receiver Transmitter Destination

Access Point Client Subnet Router

802.11 Frame (with encryption):

MAC Addresses:

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Outline

• Motivation

• DAIR architecture

• Management apps (& Rogue networks)

• Related work

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Current Approaches & Related Research

• Many commercial offerings in this space

• Leverage existing access points (APs)– AirWave, ManageEngine, …– AP’s primary goal is to provide service to clients,

limited time listening on other channels

• Specialized sensors– Aruba (MS IT choice), AirDefense, AirTight …– Expensive limited density

• [Adya et al. Mobicom 04] – use assistance of mobile clients– Difficult to provide predictable coverage– Less proactive due to energy constraints

• Other wireless monitoring

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Wrapping Up…– Status

• Built much of the “plumbing”: AirMonitors, Inferencing Service, Management Console (GUI)

• Built set of wireless security apps, ongoing evaluation• Deployed ~22 AirMonitors on one floor of our building

– Next 6 months:• Performance & reliability apps• Provide location services• Larger scale deployment

– Longer Term: going beyond management tools• Seamless roaming• Self-configuring complete replacement for existing

wireless infrastructure