Link-layer jamming attacks on S-MAC

Abstract

We argue that among denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, link-layer jamming is a more attractive option to attackers than radio jamming is. By exploiting the semantics of the link-layer protocol (aka MAC protocol), an attacker can achieve better efficiency than blindly jamming the radio signals alone. In this paper, we investigate some jamming attacks on S-MAC, the level of effectiveness and efficiency the attacks can potentially achieve and a countermeasure that can be implemented against one of these attacks.