A public key infrastructure for compliant spectrum use by wireless devices

TL;DR

This paper proposes a PKI-based method to ensure wireless device compliance with radio regulations, aiming to prevent interference by isolating non-compliant devices through certificate revocation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel PKI framework for verifying device compliance and preventing non-compliant devices from connecting in wireless networks.

Findings

PKI can effectively identify non-compliant devices

Legitimate devices reject non-compliant connections

The approach enhances spectrum regulation enforcement

Abstract

A multitude of wireless devices for radio local area networks (RLAN) use frequency bands that are shared with other radio services or applications. European market surveillance activities on 5 GHz RLAN indicate a growing number of non-compliant devices that do not fulfill all radio regulation requirements and may cause interference. This paper describes a concept and method for mitigating the use of non-compliant equipment based on a public key infrastructure. If every RLAN device holds a security certificate, which is revoked when non-compliance is found, then the connection establishment between devices can be made dependent on compliance. The aim is that legitimate equipment rejects connections to non-compliant devices, so that non-compliant devices will become isolated.