Working using Wifi in a cafe

Threat modelling for wireless networks

Free public Wi-Fi is a popular and convenient way to catch up on work, social media, and check emails or access online banking while on the go. However, cybercrime is increasingly affecting users due to Wi-Fi’s multiple security vulnerabilities, leading to public Wi-Fi spots becoming the hacker’s preferred platform.

State-of-the-art security technology developed by researchers at the University of Liverpool provides safe and protected network solutions specifically designed for public spaces such as airports, trains, cafés and hotels.

The challenge

Norton’s 2017 Wi-Fi Risk report found that over 87% of all consumers are regularly putting their information at risk while connected to public Wi-Fi. Traditional security measures are often ineffective or unfeasible when people connect with their own devices, so are easily compromised by certain types of attacks.

In public areas, private data is often stolen when people connect to fake access points, known as ‘evil twins’, which are disguised by a name similar to a legitimate connection. Another hack, called the ‘man-in-the-middle’ attack, allows the hacker to monitor any information that passes between the person and the websites they visit.

Professor Alan Marshall and his group at Liverpool are using their expertise in telecommunications and computer networks to better understand and efficiently mitigate security threats that exist in public access and open Wi-Fi network areas.

Research action

Research at Liverpool has led to the development of a next-generation network security technology, SpriteGuardTM, which allows automatic attack detection and prevention. This innovative approach distinguishes between normal and abnormal network behaviour so attacks against the network can be prevented, even if they are unknown to the network operator. It protects all users in an area against both evil twin and man-in-the-middle attacks.

Threat modelling research has significantly contributed to wider understanding in the field. Counter to previous understanding, the group demonstrated that it is possible to create a virus that specifically attacks Wi-Fi access points and quickly spreads between them. Simulation of the attack and resulting data contributed to SpriteGuardTM technology development.

Working in partnership

Liverpool’s Advanced Networks Research Group (ANRG) is a widely recognised, leading research centre in innovative areas of communications networks and distributed applications, specialising in risk assessment and security threat modelling. The group has a strong history of collaborative research with major ICT companies and the defence industry, and is now expanding into new areas such as hospitality through the commercialised and patented SpriteGuardTM. The research underpinning SpriteGuardTM has been funded through the EU, EPSRC and subsequently by Enterprise Ventures (North West Fund for Venture Capital).

Professor Marshall has over 24 years’ experience and has formed a successful company Traffic Observation & Management (TOM) Ltd in 2007. TOM’s SpriteGuardTM was a finalist for The TechOvation Award in 2018 selected by Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG).

Outputs and outcomes

SpriteGuardTM is the only security system that can sit alongside the existing Wi-Fi environment, guarding all devices connected to open and public Wi-Fi networks. The product is currently deployed in multiple hotel chains in London and New York, and discussions with major chains across the UK, EU and US, including the world’s largest hotel chain Marriott International, are on-going.

A potential joint partnership with iPASS, the world’s largest provider of Wi-Fi hotspots ( around 61 million hotspots across 120 countries), is looking to provide new Wi-Fi security and analytics solutions for variety of public spaces and transport services. SpriteGuardTM is also under development for the education and transport industries.

In addition to threat prevention, SpriteGuardTM provides an analytics system that continually scans and records all wireless activity, including attack history in and around the premises, while maintaining user data privacy.

Our data security research has led to a successful spin-out company and product (SpriteGuardTM) that protects devices connected to open and public Wi-Fi networks.

Professor Alan Marshall

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