802.11w - Protected Management Frames ======================================== .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 :hidden: :includehidden: 802_11w/802_11w 802_11w/mac_functions 802_11w/mac_timings 802_11w/packet_formats 802_11w/power_save 802_11w/interoperability 802_11w/physical_rates 802_11w/ppdu 802_11w/channels 802_11w/PHYs IEEE 802.11w enhances Wi-Fi security by providing management frame protection to prevent spoofing and denial-of-service attacks. .. list-table:: :widths: 20 60 20 :header-rows: 1 * - Category - Description - Use Case * - MAC Functions - Enhances MAC layer by adding protection for management frames to prevent spoofing. - Securing management frame exchanges in Wi-Fi networks * - Frame Protection - Implements Management Frame Protection (MFP) to safeguard authentication, association, and deauthentication frames. - Preventing denial-of-service and man-in-the-middle attacks * - Packet Formats - Defines new encrypted management frame formats alongside existing ones. - Enabling secure and interoperable management communications * - Power Save - Works with power-saving features while ensuring protected frames are delivered correctly. - Maintaining security without compromising device battery life * - Interoperability - Ensures backward compatibility with legacy devices while providing enhanced security. - Gradual adoption in mixed device environments * - Physical Rates - Uses existing PHY data rates but ensures integrity and confidentiality of management frames. - Protecting control information over the wireless medium * - PPDU - Management frames protected by 802.11w are encapsulated within standard PPDU formats with encryption. - Securing physical layer transmission of management information * - Channels - Operates on the same channels as the base PHY (2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz bands). - Ensures secure communication over standard wireless channels without frequency changes. * - PHY Overview - Does not modify the PHY layer; focuses on MAC layer security enhancements. - Provides robust management frame protection while leveraging existing high-speed PHY capabilities. .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w (Protected Management Frames) **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Adds cryptographic protection for management frames (e.g., disassociation, deauthentication, and action frames) - Mitigates denial-of-service (DoS) attacks from spoofed management frames - Introduces **Protected Management Frames (PMF)** as a security extension - Works alongside 802.11i and WPA2 - Mandatory in WPA3 networks **Use Cases:** - Defense against spoofed disassociation/deauthentication attacks - Enhanced security in enterprise and public Wi-Fi networks - Protection of mission-critical wireless infrastructure - Compliance with WPA3 and government-grade Wi-Fi security policies **Related Concepts:** - Management Frame Protection (MFP) - PMF Capable and PMF Required device flags - Robust Management Frame (RMF) security negotiation - Action frame protection - Interoperability with 802.11i (RSN) and WPA2/WPA3 .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore how 802.11w secures Wi-Fi control communication:** * :ref:`Learnings in this section <802_11w_step1>` * :ref:`Terminology <802_11w_step2>` * :ref:`Version Info <802_11w_step3>` * :ref:`802_11w Version&IEEE Details <802_11w_step4>` * :ref:`802_11w Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 <802_11w_step5>` * :ref:`802_11w Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 <802_11w_step6>` * :ref:`Reference links <802_11w_step16>` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/802_11w.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w Basics" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w MAC Functions **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Enhances MAC layer by providing protection for management frames - Implements Management Frame Protection (MFP) to prevent spoofing and forgery - Secures authentication, deauthentication, association, and disassociation frames - Works with encryption and integrity algorithms for message confidentiality and integrity - Maintains compatibility with existing MAC protocols while adding security features - Coordinates with power management to ensure secure frame delivery during sleep cycles **Use Cases:** - Protecting Wi-Fi networks from management frame attacks such as DoS and spoofing - Enhancing security in enterprise and public wireless networks - Ensuring integrity and authenticity of critical management communications **Related Functions:** - Frame protection and integrity checks - Secure key management interaction - Enhanced authentication and association handling - Integration with WPA2 and RSN security suites .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w MAC Functions:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/mac_functions.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w MAC Functions" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w MAC Timings **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Defines timing parameters specifically for protected management frame exchanges - Incorporates delays and retransmission timers to ensure secure frame delivery - Coordinates with existing interframe spaces like SIFS and DIFS for timing control - Supports retransmission timing for Management Frame Protection (MFP) acknowledgments - Ensures synchronization between transmitter and receiver for protected frame exchanges - Works alongside MAC and PHY timing mechanisms to maintain network performance and security **Use Cases:** - Managing retransmission intervals for secure management frames - Ensuring timely delivery of protected authentication and association frames - Preventing timing-based attacks targeting management frame exchanges **Related Timing Parameters:** - Retransmission timeout for protected frames - Interframe spacing adapted for security processing - Timers for handshake and key management frames .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w MAC Timings:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/mac_timings.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w MAC Timings" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w Packet Formats **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Defines enhanced frame formats for Protected Management Frames (PMF) - Adds Integrity Check Value (ICV) and Replay Counters to management frames - Supports protection of Deauthentication, Disassociation, and Robust Management frames - Maintains compatibility with existing 802.11 frame structures - Includes additional headers and fields for security and authentication - Uses MIC (Message Integrity Code) to prevent forgery and tampering **Use Cases:** - Securing management frames against spoofing and DoS attacks - Ensuring integrity and authenticity of critical management communications - Enhancing network robustness and trustworthiness in Wi-Fi environments **Related Frame Types:** - Protected Deauthentication frames - Protected Disassociation frames - Robust Action frames with security extensions .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w Packet Formats:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/packet_formats.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w Packet Formats" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w Power Saving Mechanisms **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Enhances power saving by securing management frames to prevent spoofing attacks - Ensures Protected Management Frames (PMF) can coexist with power saving modes - Protects delivery of critical management frames during client sleep/wake cycles - Works with existing Power Save Mode (PSM) and Opportunistic Power Save (OPS) - Minimizes power consumption while maintaining robust security for management traffic - Coordinates with AP to buffer and deliver protected frames securely during client wake periods **Use Cases:** - Improving battery life in devices requiring secure management frame exchange - Preventing denial-of-service attacks that exploit unprotected management frames - Maintaining network security without sacrificing power efficiency on mobile devices **Related Mechanisms:** - Protected Management Frames (PMF) support during power save - Secure buffering and delivery of management frames - Integration with DTIM and TIM for wake notifications .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w Power Saving mechanisms:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/power_save.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w Power Saving" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w Interoperability **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Ensures secure interoperability for management frame protection across vendors - Defines Protected Management Frames (PMF) to prevent spoofing and forgery - Supports backward compatibility with legacy devices lacking PMF support - Facilitates seamless integration in mixed security environments - Coordinates with existing 802.11 protocols for authentication, association, and roaming - Enables secure management frame exchange without disrupting normal network operation **Use Cases:** - Enhancing security and compatibility in enterprise and consumer Wi-Fi networks - Preventing management frame attacks in multi-vendor deployments - Supporting smooth roaming and handoff with protected management frames **Related Mechanisms:** - Management frame protection (MFP) - Compatibility with legacy 802.11 devices - Secure association and rekeying processes .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w Interoperability mechanisms:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/interoperability.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w Interoperability" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w Physical Rates **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Enhances security without altering physical layer data rates - Operates alongside existing 802.11 physical rate mechanisms - Supports all physical rates of underlying 802.11 standards (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n) - Focuses on management frame protection at MAC layer, preserving PHY performance - Maintains compatibility with rate adaptation and modulation schemes **Use Cases:** - Providing secure management frame transmission without impacting throughput - Maintaining reliable data rates while adding protection against spoofing - Enabling secure Wi-Fi operation in enterprise and consumer networks **Related Concepts:** - Management Frame Protection (MFP) - PHY layer modulation and coding schemes (MCS) - MAC layer security enhancements .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the relationship of 802.11w with physical rates:** * :ref:`physical_rates in 802.11w ` * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/physical_rates.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w Physical Rates" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w PPDU **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Applies management frame protection within the PPDU framework - Maintains standard PPDU structure while securing management frames at MAC layer - Ensures integrity and authenticity of management frames transmitted over PHY - Works alongside existing PHY features like OFDM modulation and adaptive coding - Supports encrypted and authenticated management frames without altering PHY payload format - Enhances robustness of wireless communication through secure frame delivery **Use Cases:** - Protecting critical management frames (e.g., deauthentication, disassociation) - Preventing spoofing and denial-of-service attacks at MAC layer - Maintaining PHY synchronization and transmission efficiency while adding security **Related Concepts:** - Management Frame Protection (MFP) - Standard PPDU components: preamble, SIGNAL, payload - OFDM symbol structure and channel coding .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w PPDU and management frame protection:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/ppdu.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w PPDU" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w Channels **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Operates in the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands depending on underlying PHY - Provides protected management frame operation over existing Wi-Fi channels - Enhances security without changing channel characteristics or bandwidth - Supports channel use consistent with underlying 802.11 PHY (a/b/g/n/ac) - Compatible with existing channel planning and spectrum use practices **Use Cases:** - Securing management frames on enterprise Wi-Fi networks - Improving network robustness against attacks on management frames - Ensuring compliance with security policies requiring management frame protection **Related Concepts:** - Protected Management Frames (PMF) - Robust Security Network Association (RSNA) - WPA2/WPA3 security protocols - 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PHY layers .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w Channels:** * :ref:`List of channels ` * :ref:`List of channel widths ` * :ref:`List of Bands ` * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/channels.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w Channels" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11w PHY **Standard:** IEEE 802.11w (2009) **Main Features:** - Enhances security at the physical layer by protecting management frames - Works alongside underlying PHY layers like 802.11a/b/g/n/ac without changing modulation - Supports Protected Management Frames (PMF) to prevent spoofing and DoS attacks - Maintains compatibility with existing OFDM and DSSS PHY characteristics - Does not define new modulation or bandwidth parameters but enforces secure frame handling **Use Cases:** - Securing management communications in enterprise and public Wi-Fi networks - Mitigating attacks targeting disassociation, deauthentication, and other management frames - Maintaining robust connectivity with enhanced security in hostile environments **Related Concepts:** - Protected Management Frames (PMF) as defined in 802.11w - WPA2/WPA3 and Robust Security Network Association (RSNA) - Interoperability with underlying PHY layers (a/b/g/n/ac) .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11w PHY:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11w/PHYs.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11w PHY"