TTM4138 Wireless Security — ESP32-C6 Labs

C Library for the Wireless Security Student Lab Project

This lab assignment explores the engineering of wireless security protocols using communicating IoT devices (ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1), with emphasis on IEEE 802.11 MAC layer frame communication. The learning process will be facilitated by constructing and implementing principal cryptographic protocols used in wireless networks.

This repository contains lab code and teaching utilities for the NTNU course TTM4138 Wireless Security on ESP-IDF / ESP32-C6. It includes reusable crypto components (ASCON, ECC) and Wi-Fi communication helpers (promiscuous/targeted RX, raw TX).

Repository layout

.
├─ components/                 # Reusable ESP-IDF components (libraries)
│  ├─ aead/                    # ASCON-128 AEAD (encrypt/decrypt)
│  ├─ auth/                    # ASCON-based PRF/Auth
│  ├─ ecc/                     # secp256r1 big-int + EC ops
│  ├─ hash/                    # ASCON HASH256
│  ├─ global_variables/        # Shared queues, timers, MACs, etc.
│  ├─ ttm4138_communication/   # Wi-Fi RX callbacks & raw TX helpers
│  ├─ ttm4138_ecc/             # Small ECC helper wrappers for labs
│  ├─ ttm4138_setup/           # One-time board/stack setup (queues, timers, Wi-Fi mode)
│  └─ ttm4138_utils/           # LED, button, timeout helpers, misc utils
├─ documentation/              # Per-component markdown docs
│  ├─ aead.md
│  ├─ auth.md
│  ├─ ecc.md
│  ├─ hash.md
│  ├─ ttm4138_communication.md
│  ├─ ttm4138_setup.md
│  ├─ ttm4138_utils.md
│  └─ ttm4138_ecc.md           # (second/last ECC doc; helpers built on top of ecc.md)
├─ main/                       # Example apps you can build/run, feel free to add more files here
│  └─ sniffer.c
├─ managed_components/         # External IDF components (e.g., led_strip)
├─ pcap/                       # Saved packet captures
├─ RC4/                        # Independent RC4 snippet (not part of ESP-IDF build)
├─ listener.py                 # Host-side helper (e.g., serial/pcap glue)
├─ CMakeLists.txt              # CMake entry point
├─ sdkconfig                   # Your current build config (generated)
└─ build/                      # Generated build artifacts (ignore/clean)

Note

Everything you typically edit is in main/. Everything in components/ is reusable and already wired into the build.

Useful ESP-IDF docs on the web

ESP-IDF Programming Guide (ESP32-C6):
https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32c6/
Wi-Fi driver & examples (ESP-IDF):
https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32c6/api-reference/network/esp_wifi.html
FreeRTOS (as used by ESP-IDF):
https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32c6/api-reference/system/freertos.html
led_strip component (component registry):
https://components.espressif.com/components/espressif/led_strip
ESP32-C6 Datasheet / TRM:
https://www.espressif.com/en/support/documents/technical-documents

Prerequisites

ESP-IDF installed & exported in your shell.
Hardware target: ESP32-C6.

Set target once per workspace:

idf.py set-target esp32c6

Build, flash, monitor (VS Code & CLI)

A) VS Code (recommended)

Use the Espressif IDF extension:

Install the “Espressif IDF” extension and run ESP-IDF: Configure ESP-IDF Extension.
Open this folder in VS Code.
In the bottom status bar:
- Select Device Target: ESP32-C6
- Select Serial Port (e.g., /dev/ttyUSB0, cu.usbmodem101,COMx or another option depending on your device)
To change which app is built (e.g., main.c vs sniffer.c), edit main/CMakeLists.txt and set the SRCS list accordingly (see below). Save the file—VS Code will reconfigure automatically.
Use the extension buttons/commands:
- Build, Flash, Monitor (or Build, Flash and Start Monitor). These are located in the bottom status bar in VS Code.

Tip

Hover your mouse over the icons to see what they do.

B) Command line (alternative)

Configure (optional)

idf.py menuconfig

Build

idf.py build

Flash + Monitor

idf.py -p /dev/ttyUSB0 flash monitor

Note

Exit monitor with: Ctrl+t x

Erase flash if needed:

idf.py erase-flash

How to compile a different app (change which C file is built)

There are multiple entry files under main/ (e.g., main.c, sniffer.c). You control which one is compiled as the app_main() translation unit by editing main/CMakeLists.txt.

Open main/CMakeLists.txt and set SRCS to the file(s) you want:

idf_component_register(
    SRCS
        "sniffer.c"            # or "main.c" or your own file
    INCLUDE_DIRS "."
    PRIV_REQUIRES
        ttm4138_setup
        ttm4138_utils
        ttm4138_communication
        hash
        auth
        aead
        ecc
        global_variables
)

Common choices you can drop into SRCS (one at a time unless you know what you’re doing):

main.c (default scaffold)
sniffer.c

Then build/flash via the Espressif IDF VS Code buttons or:

idf.py build flash monitor

Documentation (this repo)

All pages are in documentation/:

ASCON AEAD — aead.md
ASCON Auth/PRF — auth.md
ASCON Hash — hash.md
ECC (core big-int & EC ops) — ecc.md
ECC (helpers for labs; second/last ECC doc) — ttm4138_ecc.md
Communication (Wi-Fi RX/TX helpers) — ttm4138_communication.md
Setup (one-time init: queues, timers, Wi-Fi) — ttm4138_setup.md
Utils (LED/button/timeout, helpers) — ttm4138_utils.md

Data flow cheat-sheet

RX path: esp_wifi_set_promiscuous_rx_cb(...) → one of
fsm_callback_targeted_listen / fsm_callback_promiscuous / fsm_callback_unicast
→ enqueues received_frame_info_t into fsm_event_queue
→ your task consumes it (e.g., print_frame, or your own parser).
Timeout events are injected via on_timeout (see ttm4138_utils.md#on_timeout).
TX path: Build with create_frame → send with transmit (raw 802.11).

Troubleshooting

Toolchain/target errors

idf.py set-target esp32c6
. $IDF_PATH/export.sh   # or the export script for your OS/shell

ie-iik/ttm4138

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