PriSrv: Privacy-Enhanced and Highly Usable Service Discovery in Wireless Communications
Yang Yang
Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium 2024 · Day 3 · Network & DDoS
Service discovery protocols are the invisible backbone of modern wireless communications, enabling devices to locate and interact with services seamlessly. From connecting to Wi-Fi networks and sharing files via AirDrop to managing smart devices over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), these protocols are fundamental. However, a pervasive and critical flaw in existing service discovery mechanisms is their severe lack of privacy protection for both service providers and clients. These protocols frequently expose sensitive information, including service types, device identities, and even user mobility patterns, creating fertile ground for a range of network-based attacks such as spoofing, man-in-the-middle (MiTM) attacks, persistent tracking, and user identification.