Preventing Radio Fingerprinting through Low-Power Jamming

TL;DR

This paper proposes using a low-power jammer to prevent radio frequency fingerprinting, thereby protecting device privacy without compromising communication quality.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to sanitize transmitted signals against fingerprinting using low-power jamming, enhancing device anonymity in wireless communications.

Findings

Low-power jamming effectively blocks device identification.

The method preserves the quality of the wireless link.

Experimental results confirm privacy protection without performance loss.

Abstract

Radio Frequency fingerprinting enables a passive receiver to recognize and authenticate a transmitter without the need for cryptographic tools. Authentication is achieved by isolating specific features of the transmitted signal that are unique to the transmitter's hardware. Much research has focused on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of radio frequency fingerprinting to maximize its performance in various scenarios and conditions, while little research examined how to protect devices from being subject to radio fingerprinting in the wild. In this paper, we explore a novel point of view. We examine the threat posed by radio frequency fingerprinting, which facilitates the unauthorized identification of wireless devices in the field by malicious entities. We also suggest a method to sanitize the transmitted signal of its fingerprint using a low-power jammer, deployed on purpose to improve devices' anonymity on the channel while still guaranteeing the link's quality of service. Our experimental results and subsequent analysis demonstrate that a low-power jammer can effectively block a malicious eavesdropper from identifying a device without affecting the quality of the wireless link, thereby restoring the privacy of the user when accessing the radio spectrum.