Implicit Encryption of Timing Packet with Statistical Side Channel Coding

This paper proposes a statistical coding methodology using covert side channel information to solve timing packet security issue, the main purpose here is to enhance the security of the timing protocol with backward compatible capability. In wireless communications, either ad-hoc military/ industrial network, or LTE/ LTE-A networks, GPS is used to provide time and location; however, the hackers often trying to spoof the signal. The alternative way of providing such signal is using protocols like IEEE1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP); unfortunately, current timing packet is not encrypted, it can be altered by the hackers. To maintain the simplicity of such protocols, most vendors are reluctant to add encryption on top of it; nevertheless, the end customer wishes to see it. To solve this dilemma, we propose a backward compatible solution here. The basic idea is demonstrated using Matlab FFT calculation tool. The future extension using Fractional FFT is also suggested at.