Securing information in future mobile networks is particularly challenging for devices with limited computational resources. In such contexts, physical layer security (PLS) offers a promising alternative by exploiting the inherent randomness of wireless channels. When full secrecy cannot be guaranteed, the partial secrecy regime provides a realistic and effective approach to system design. This study investigates the partial secrecy performance of wireless systems operating over the recently introduced generalized multicluster fluctuating two-ray (MFTR) fading model. This model is highly regarded for its adaptability in representing a broad range of propagation environments and includes various classical fading models as exceptional cases. We consider a secure communication setup involving a transmitter (A), an intended receiver (B), and an eavesdropper (E). Inspired by previous work showing the benefits and simplicity of diversity schemes for improving PLS, we assume that both B and E are equipped with antenna arrays and apply maximal ratio combining (MRC). The model also considers independently but not identically distributed (i.n.i.d.) fading conditions on the A → B and A → E links. We derive exact and closed-form approximate expressions for three central metrics in partial secrecy theory: generalized secrecy outage probability (GSOP), average fractional equivocation (AFE), and average information leakage rate (AILR). Unlike previous approaches based on simpler fading models, the proposed expressions maintain a constant computational complexity, irrespective of the number of diversity branches, and are compatible with standard mathematical tools. Validation via Monte Carlo simulations confirms the accuracy of the derived expressions and highlights the impact of key system parameters on secrecy performance. The flexible MFTR framework enables assessment across varied fading conditions. In particular, increasing the number of MRC branches at B improves the GSOP diversity order and alters PLS behavior based on the fading characteristics of the A → E link.
Securing information in future mobile networks is particularly challenging for devices with limited computational resources. In such contexts, physical layer security (PLS) offers a promising alternative by exploiting the inherent randomness of wireless channels. When full secrecy cannot be guaranteed, the partial secrecy regime provides a realistic and effective approach to system design. This study investigates the partial secrecy performance of wireless systems operating over the recently introduced generalized multicluster fluctuating two-ray (MFTR) fading model. This model is highly regarded for its adaptability in representing a broad range of propagation environments and includes various classical fading models as exceptional cases. We consider a secure communication setup involving a transmitter (A), an intended receiver (B), and an eavesdropper (E). Inspired by previous work showing the benefits and simplicity of diversity schemes for improving PLS, we assume that both B and E are equipped with antenna arrays and apply maximal ratio combining (MRC). The model also considers independently but not identically distributed (i.n.i.d.) fading conditions on the A → B and A → E links. We derive exact and closed-form approximate expressions for three central metrics in partial secrecy theory: generalized secrecy outage probability (GSOP), average fractional equivocation (AFE), and average information leakage rate (AILR). Unlike previous approaches based on simpler fading models, the proposed expressions maintain a constant computational complexity, irrespective of the number of diversity branches, and are compatible with standard mathematical tools. Validation via Monte Carlo simulations confirms the accuracy of the derived expressions and highlights the impact of key system parameters on secrecy performance. The flexible MFTR framework enables assessment across varied fading conditions. In particular, increasing the number of MRC branches at B improves the GSOP diversity order and alters PLS behavior based on the fading characteristics of the A → E link.
Growing need for secure wireless communication in networks like Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and future 6G has raised concerns about efficient ways to ensure security. Cryptography techniques are considered to be efficient from the standpoint of providing security; however, they are also limited in computational complexity, energy consumption, and key management. In order to overcome the above-mentioned issue, it is possible to employ Physical Layer Security (PLS). Using unique characteristics of wireless communication channel, it is possible to enhance the confidentiality of the process. The current research paper analyzes the PLS approach for investigation of partial secrecy in case wireless channel operates under such fading distributions as Rayleigh, Rician, and Nakagami-m. The diversity-based approach for enhancing physical layer security is employed through use of such diversity types as Selection Combining (SC), Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC), and Cooperative Diversity. Analysis of performance of such a system is performed with the help of MATLAB simulations using the following parameters: Secrecy Capacity, Generalized Secrecy Outage Probability (GSOP), Average Information Leakage Rate (AILR), Average Fractional Equivocation (AFE), and Secrecy Throughput. The results of simulations demonstrate the advantage of diversity approach with respect to ensuring secure wireless communications at different SNR values. Among all kinds of diversity, MRC performs better than others due to its efficient signal combining capability.
Physical Layer Security of MRC in Fisher–Snedecor F Fading Channels
The physical layer security (PLS) is explored in quasi-static Fisher-Snedecor F Fading Channels with maximal ratio combining (MRC), which have been used to model the conventional and emerging realistic wireless communication channels. We consider the secure transmission of privileged information from a single antenna legitimate transmitter to L-antenna legitimate receiver are wiretapped by L-antenna eavesdropper. The receiver maximizes the probability of secure transmission by adopting MRC, whereas eavesdropper maximizes the probability of eavesdropping by adopting MRC. We derive PLS secrecy metrics for a system setup where the transmitter is having no channel state information (CSI) of both the receiver and eavesdropper. Specifically, we derive a novel closed-form expressions for secure outage probability (SOP) and strictly positive secrecy capacity (SPSC). Furthermore, to obtain important insight into the effect of channel parameters on the secrecy performance, an asymptotic analysis is conducted for SOP at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime.
This paper investigates the performance of physical layer security (PLS) in fluid antenna-aided communication systems under arbitrary correlated fading channels. In particular, it is considered that a single fixed-antenna transmitter aims to send confidential information to a legitimate receiver equipped with a planar fluid antenna system (FAS), while an eavesdropper, also taking advantage of a planar FAS, attempts to decode the desired message. For this scenario, we first present analytical expressions of the equivalent channel distributions at the legitimate user and eavesdropper by using copula, so that the obtained analytical results are valid for any arbitrarily correlated fading distributions. Then, with the help of Gauss-Laguerre quadrature, we derive compact analytical expressions for the average secrecy capacity (ASC), the secrecy outage probability (SOP), and the secrecy energy efficiency (SEE) for the FAS wiretap channel. Moreover, for exemplary purposes, we also obtain the compact expression of ASC, SOP, and SEE by utilizing the Gaussian copula under correlated Rayleigh fading channels as a special case. Eventually, numerical results indicate that applying the fluid antenna with only one activated port to PLS can guarantee more secure and reliable transmission, when compared to traditional antenna systems (TAS) exploiting maximal ratio combining (MRC) and antenna selection (AS) under selection combining (SC).
—In wireless communications, security issues have become difficult due to unchangeable and unpredictable nature of the wireless medium. There are many traditional cryptographic techniques which were used previously. The physical layer security used for ensuring secure wireless communications apart from the cryptographic techniques, which is achieved after proper understanding of the nature wireless channels. Classical information theoretic secrecy is one of the metrics followed, in which, we assume that there is no(zero) leaked information at the eavesdropper which means the information decoding probability at the eavesdropper is '0'. But, practically achieving classical information theoretic secrecy is not possible. So, this project deals with partial secrecy. The partial secrecy of a system is measured in terms of equivocation, which gives the information of the level at which the eavesdropper (active) is confused. It means that in partial secrecy, there is information leakage but the eavesdropper cannot exactly decode the original message. The new secrecy metrics used GSOP (generalized secrecy outage probability), AFE (average fractional equivocation) and AILR (average information leakage rate) altogether provides more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the secrecy performance over the fading channels.
In the perspective of information-theoretical security, inspired by the heterogeneity between legal and illegal channels, we consider the physical layer secrecy performance of a novel system model with a single antenna employed for both the transmitter and legal receiver, in the presence of a multiple antennas passive eavesdropper over dissimilar fading channels, where the legal/illegal channels are subject to Rayleigh/Nakagami-m and Nakagami-m/Rayleigh fading, respectively. We assume that the eavesdropper employs either maximal-ratio combining or selection combining reception in order to benefit from space diversity. Specifically, the exact closed-form expressions of the probability of existence of secrecy capacity and the secrecy outage probability are derived by utilizing statistical characteristics of the signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, the delightful results reveal that the secrecy performance achieves a greater level when the Nakagami-m fading is supposed on the main link due to the line of sight component. In final, the analytical results are verified by Monte-Carlo simulation.
In this paper, we present and analyze utilizing generalized selection combining (GSC) scheme to enhance the physical layer (PHY) security of a wireless communication system consisting of a single antenna transmitter, a multi-antennas receiver and a multi-antennas eavesdropper. We consider a practical scenario where GSC scheme is applied to the receiver considering both the complexity and the energy dissipation while maximal ratio combining (MRC) scheme is applied to the eavesdropper in order to maximize its instantaneous signal to noise ratio (SNR). This work bridges the gap between the existing works utilizing MRC scheme and transmit antenna selection (TAS) scheme to enhance the PHY security. Closed-form expressions for both the probability of non-zero secrecy capacity and the exact secrecy outage probability are derived over Rayleigh fading channels. The security capacity performances are also shown and analyzed through numerical results. The impacts of the number of selected branches, the average SNR of transmitter's channel and eavesdropper's channel are discussed.