6LoWPAN fragmentation attacks and mitigation mechanisms

Abstract

6LoWPAN is an IPv6 adaptation layer that defines mechanisms to make IP connectivity viable for tightly resource-constrained devices that communicate over low power, lossy links such as IEEE 802.15.4. It is expected to be used in a variety of scenarios ranging from home automation to industrial control systems. To support the transmission of IPv6 packets exceeding the maximum frame size of the link layer, 6LoWPAN defines a packet fragmentation mechanism. However, the best effort semantics for fragment transmissions, the lack of authentication at the 6LoWPAN layer, and the scarce memory resources of the networked devices render the design of the fragmentation mechanism vulnerable.