Security in the Era of Perceptive Networks: A Comprehensive Taxonomic Framework for Integrated Sensing and Communication Security

TL;DR

ISAC security in 6G addresses the new perception-based threats arising from integrated sensing and communication and proposes a formal taxonomic framework to unify threat taxonomy, vulnerability analysis, defense mechanisms, security-performance trade-offs, sector-specific requirements, and emerging challenges. The approach synthesizes prior work into a multi-dimensional taxonomy spanning threat types, targets, scope, and propagation, enabling cross-layer defense-in-depth with coordinated layers of physical, environmental, intelligence, and architectural security. Key contributions include a vulnerability-root-cause analysis, a four-pillar defense taxonomy, a formal RDL security-performance framework using the Rate-Distortion-Leakage region $R_ ext{RDL}$ and leakage metric $I_ ext{leak}$, sector-specific defense mappings, and identified gaps in quantum resilience and privacy. This framework provides a foundational reference for researchers and policymakers to design secure ISAC deployments while balancing security with sensing and communication performance.

Abstract

Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) represents a significant shift in the 6G landscape, where wireless networks both sense the environment and communicate. While prior comprehensive surveys have established foundational elements of ISAC security, discussed perception-focused security models, and proposed layered defense strategies, this paper synthesizes these studies into a comprehensive taxonomic framework that covers the whole ISAC security domain. This paper provides a systematic and thorough review of ISAC security across multiple orthogonal dimensions. These include threat taxonomy and propagation methods; vulnerability analysis at design, physical, computational, and architectural levels; defense mechanisms categorized by deployment layer; security-performance trade-offs with theoretical bounds; sector-specific security demands for critical infrastructure; and emerging issues such as quantum resilience, AI-hardening, and privacy preservation. Unlike previous frameworks that primarily focus on vision, this review combines these dimensions, introduces new classification schemes that reveal hidden relationships between threats and defenses, and identifies key research gaps through structured analysis. This detailed taxonomy offers a valuable reference for researchers developing secure ISAC systems and policymakers establishing security standards.