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Secure Communications, Sensing, and Computing Towards Next-Generation Networks

Ruiqi Liu, Beixiong Zheng, Jemin Lee, Si-Hyeon Lee, Georges Kaddoum, Onur Günlü, Deniz Gündüz

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive survey of security and privacy threats, along with potential countermeasures, in integrated wireless systems, and introduces unified security frameworks tailored to integrated communication-sensing-computing architectures.

Abstract

Next-generation wireless networks are progressing beyond conventional connectivity to incorporate emerging sensing and computing capabilities. This convergence gives rise to integrated systems that enable not only uninterrupted communication, but also environmental awareness, intelligent decision-making, and novel applications that take advantage of these combined features. At the same time, this integration brings substantial security challenges. As computing, sensing, and communication become more tightly intertwined, the overall complexity of the system increases, creating new vulnerabilities and expanding the attack surface. The widespread deployment of data-heavy artificial intelligence applications further amplifies concerns regarding data security and privacy. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of security and privacy threats, along with potential countermeasures, in integrated wireless systems. We first review physical-layer security techniques for communication networks, and then investigate the security and privacy implications of semantic and pragmatic communications and their associated cross-layer design methodologies. For sensing functionalities, we pinpoint security and privacy risks at the levels of signal sources, propagation channels, and sensing targets, and summarize state-of-the-art defense strategies for each. The growing computational requirements of these applications drive the need for distributed computing over the network, which introduces additional risks such as data leakage, weak authentication, and multiple points of failure. We subsequently discuss secure coded computing approaches that can help overcome several of these challenges. Finally, we introduce unified security frameworks tailored to integrated communication-sensing-computing architectures, offering an end-to-end perspective on protecting future wireless systems.

Secure Communications, Sensing, and Computing Towards Next-Generation Networks

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive survey of security and privacy threats, along with potential countermeasures, in integrated wireless systems, and introduces unified security frameworks tailored to integrated communication-sensing-computing architectures.

Abstract

Next-generation wireless networks are progressing beyond conventional connectivity to incorporate emerging sensing and computing capabilities. This convergence gives rise to integrated systems that enable not only uninterrupted communication, but also environmental awareness, intelligent decision-making, and novel applications that take advantage of these combined features. At the same time, this integration brings substantial security challenges. As computing, sensing, and communication become more tightly intertwined, the overall complexity of the system increases, creating new vulnerabilities and expanding the attack surface. The widespread deployment of data-heavy artificial intelligence applications further amplifies concerns regarding data security and privacy. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of security and privacy threats, along with potential countermeasures, in integrated wireless systems. We first review physical-layer security techniques for communication networks, and then investigate the security and privacy implications of semantic and pragmatic communications and their associated cross-layer design methodologies. For sensing functionalities, we pinpoint security and privacy risks at the levels of signal sources, propagation channels, and sensing targets, and summarize state-of-the-art defense strategies for each. The growing computational requirements of these applications drive the need for distributed computing over the network, which introduces additional risks such as data leakage, weak authentication, and multiple points of failure. We subsequently discuss secure coded computing approaches that can help overcome several of these challenges. Finally, we introduce unified security frameworks tailored to integrated communication-sensing-computing architectures, offering an end-to-end perspective on protecting future wireless systems.
Paper Structure (44 sections, 1 equation, 7 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 44 sections, 1 equation, 7 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Secure Communications
  3. Physical Layer Secure Communications
  4. Wiretap Channel
  5. Covert Communication
  6. Physical Layer Key Generation
  7. Key Generation Procedures
  8. Physical Sources for Key Generation
  9. Challenges of PLKG
  10. Physical Layer Authentication
  11. Authentication Procedures
  12. Physical Sources for Authentication
  13. Challenges of PLA
  14. Physical Layer Quantum Key Distribution
  15. Security and Privacy in Semantic Communications
  16. ...and 29 more sections

Figures (7)

  • Figure 1: A graphic illustration of the six usage scenarios and four overarching goals of 6G approved by the ITU-R. (Source: ITU_framework)
  • Figure 2: Illustration of the complexity-leakage-utility bottleneck (CLUB).
  • Figure 3: Illustration of a pragmatic/ goal-oriented communication system. Transmitter controls a remote agent through a noisy communication channel. Dashed lines may or may not be present. The goal is to maximize the average or discounted reward over a certain time horizon.
  • Figure 4: General framework for wireless sensing systems.
  • Figure 5: Attacks on signal sources.
  • ...and 2 more figures