Due to the broadcasting nature, satellite signals are vulnerable to potential eavesdropping attacks, which pose a significant security risk for users. Physical layer security (PLS) and cryptography technologies have been independently developed to address this security risk. However, the independent use of each technology in the power-limited satellite systems results in a trade-off problem between onboard power consumption and security performance due to additional encryption costs and dependence of PLS on the performance of eavesdroppers (Eves). In this paper, we integrate the PLS and cryptography considering the complementary properties of the adaptability to wireless channel characteristics and inherent message confidentiality for secure multibeam satellite networks. To this end, we estimate the eavesdropping risk as a function of the given number of Eves for independent and collaborative attacks. Moreover, we design an onboard power model utilized for transmission and computation, and Gaussian beamforming based on the eavesdropping risk. Then, we derive solutions for onboard power allocation, beam scheduling, and security algorithm selection in the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems. Finally, we demonstrate that the secure transmission performance improves even under the increment of the eavesdropping risk, and the trade-off performance between cryptography and PLS is provided through analytical and simulation results.
Due to the broadcasting nature, satellite signals are vulnerable to potential eavesdropping attacks, which pose a significant security risk for users. Physical layer security (PLS) and cryptography technologies have been independently developed to address this security risk. However, the independent use of each technology in the power-limited satellite systems results in a trade-off problem between onboard power consumption and security performance due to additional encryption costs and dependence of PLS on the performance of eavesdroppers (Eves). In this paper, we integrate the PLS and cryptography considering the complementary properties of the adaptability to wireless channel characteristics and inherent message confidentiality for secure multibeam satellite networks. To this end, we estimate the eavesdropping risk as a function of the given number of Eves for independent and collaborative attacks. Moreover, we design an onboard power model utilized for transmission and computation, and Gaussian beamforming based on the eavesdropping risk. Then, we derive solutions for onboard power allocation, beam scheduling, and security algorithm selection in the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems. Finally, we demonstrate that the secure transmission performance improves even under the increment of the eavesdropping risk, and the trade-off performance between cryptography and PLS is provided through analytical and simulation results.
Securing satellite communication systems for sixth-generation (6G) networks is a significant challenge owing to the broadcast nature of satellite channels. Existing physical-layer security (PLS) methods, such as traditional beamforming and cryptographic techniques, do not provide efficient real-time solutions for dynamic resource-constrained satellite links. To address this gap, we propose a novel approach that combines direction-of-arrival (DoA) estimation using multiple signal classification (MUSIC) and Min-Norm algorithms with adaptive beamforming techniques, specifically least mean squares (LMS) and recursive least squares (RLS) algorithms. Our method dynamically adjusts the beam patterns to enhance the secrecy capacity while minimizing interference to eavesdroppers (Eve) in multibeam satellite systems. Simulation results show that the LMS algorithm achieves superior secrecy capacity and null depth, whereas the RLS algorithm converges faster under time-varying conditions. This paper demonstrates that adaptive beamforming techniques can significantly improve the PLS of satellite links, providing an efficient and scalable solution for 6G non-terrestrial networks (NTNs).
Satellite communication has become essential for achieving seamless global connectivity in the 5 G and the future 6G networks. However, preventing eavesdropping attacks on data transmission remains a challenge due to the broadcasting nature of radio signals. Physical layer security (PLS) is a promising approach that can offer a lightweight solution suitable for satellites with hardware constraints such as limited computing and processing power. Recent studies considering PLS techniques have investigated secrecy performance in various satellite communication environments such as non-orthogonal multiple access but multi-satellite scheduling problems have been less highlighted. Particularly, in this paper, we investigate secrecy outage probability in low Earth orbit satellite networks by jointly considering multi-satellite scheduling for data and artificial noise transmissions against eavesdropping attacks. We propose a novel multi-satellite scheduling scheme and derive a closed-form of secrecy outage probability over Nakagami-mfading channels. We verify our analysis and evaluate our proposed scheme compared to several baseline schemes through extensive simulations.
NOMA (Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access) has been recognized as new multiple access technology for wireless communication networks of the fifth generation and beyond, owing to its ability to improve spectral efficiency, support massive connectivity, and provide user fairness. However, it has been observed that the superposition-based transmission principle of NOMA is highly susceptible to eavesdropping attacks, especially in an open wireless network where all wireless communications are inherently broadcast in nature. Hence, ensuring secure wireless communications for NOMA systems has now become an important area of research. This research aims to improve the secrecy level of wireless communications for NOMA systems by employing Physical Layer Security (PLS) techniques. Specifically, two prominent PLS techniques, Artificial Noise (AN) and Cooperative Jamming (CJ), have been employed to provide security against passive eavesdropping attacks. The cooperative NOMA system architecture is considered, and the secrecy enhancement is analyzed for two possible scenarios when the eavesdropper is close to the relay node and when the eavesdropper is close to the base station. The secrecy performance of the proposed system is analyzed through various parameters, namely, Secrecy Outage Probability (SOP), Secrecy Capacity (SC), Secrecy Rate (SR), and Secrecy Energy Efficiency (SEE) in terms of the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR). The numerical results for the secrecy metrics are obtained through MATLAB-based simulations, whereas the system-level model is developed using the Simulink platform to verify the suggested system's functionality in the presence of AN and CJ for the legitimate NOMA users and the eavesdropper. The results show that the secrecy performance is significantly enhanced with the introduction of AN and CJ, and the system shows robust performance in terms of energy efficiency. This paper provides significant insights into the design of the NOMA system from the secrecy perspective and validates the potential of PLS techniques for the design of the future wireless system.
Security threats introduced due to the vulnerability of the transmission medium may hinder the proliferation of Ka band multibeam satellite systems for civil and military data applications. This paper sets the analytical framework and then studies physical layer security techniques for fixed legitimate receivers dispersed throughout multiple beams, each possibly surrounded by multiple (passive) eavesdroppers. The design objective is to minimize via transmit beamforming the costly total transmit power on board the satellite, while satisfying individual intended users' secrecy rate constraints. Assuming state-of-the-art satellite channel models, when perfect channel state information (CSI) about the eavesdroppers is available at the satellite, a partial zero-forcing approach is proposed for obtaining a low-complexity sub-optimal solution. For the optimal solution, an iterative algorithm combining semi-definite programming relaxation and the gradient-based method is devised by studying the convexity of the problem. Furthermore, the use of artificial noise as an additional degree-of-freedom for protection against eavesdroppers is explored. When only partial CSI about the eavesdroppers is available, we study the problem of minimizing the eavesdroppers' received signal to interference-plus-noise ratios. Simulation results demonstrate substantial performance improvements over existing approaches.
Wireless broadcast allows widespread and easy information transfer. However, it may expose the information to unintended receivers, which could include eavesdroppers. As a solution, cryptography at the higher network levels has been used to encrypt and protect data. Cryptography relies on the fact that the computational power of the adversary is not enough to break the encryption. However, due to increasing computing power, the adversary power also increases. To further strengthen the security and complement the encryption, the concept of physical layer security has been introduced and surged an enormous amount of research. Widely speaking, the research in physical layer security can be divided into two directions: the information-theoretic and signal processing paradigms. This thesis starts with an overview of the physical layer security literature and continues with the contributions which are divided into the two following parts. In the first part, we investigate the information-theoretic secrecy rate. In the first scenario, we study the confidentiality of a bidirectional satellite network consisting of two mobile users who exchange two messages via a multibeam satellite using the XOR network coding protocol. We maximize the sum secrecy rate by designing the optimal beamforming vector along with optimizing the return and forward link time allocation. In the second scenario, we study the effect of interference on the secrecy rate. We investigate the secrecy rate in a two-user interference network where one of the users, namely user 1, requires to establish a confidential connection. User 1 wants to prevent an unintended user of the network to decode its transmission. User 1 has to adjust its transmission power such that its secrecy rate is maximized while the quality of service at the destination of the other user, user 2, is satisfied. We obtain closed-form solutions for optimal joint power control. In the third scenario, we study secrecy rate over power ratio, namely ``secrecy energy efficiency''. We design the optimal beamformer for a multiple-input single-output system with and without considering the minimum required secrecy rate at the destination. In the second part, we follow the signal processing paradigm to improve the security. We employ the directional modulation concept to enhance the security of a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output communication system in the presence of a multi-antenna eavesdropper. Enhancing the security is accomplished by increasing the symbol error rate at the eavesdropper without the eavesdropper's CSI. We show that when the eavesdropper has less antennas than the users, regardless of the received signal SNR, it cannot recover any useful information; in addition, it has to go through extra noise enhancing processes to estimate the symbols when it has more antennas than the users. Finally, we summarize the conclusions and discuss the promising research directions in the physical layer security.
Wireless communications offer data transmission services anywhere and anytime, but with the inevitable cost of introducing major security vulnerabilities. Indeed, an eavesdropper can overhear a message conveyed over the open insecure wireless media putting at risk the confidentiality of the wireless users. Currently, the way to partially prevent eavesdropping attacks is by ciphering the information between the authorised parties through complex cryptographic algorithms. Cryptography operates in the upper layers of the communication model, bit it does not address the security problem where the attack is suffered: at the transmission level. In this context, physical layer security has emerged as a promising framework to prevent eavesdropping attacks at the transmission level. Physical layer security is based on information-theoretic concepts and exploits the randomness and the uniqueness of the wireless channel. In this context, this thesis presents signal processing techniques to secure wireless networks at the physical layer by optimising the use of multiple-antennas. A masked transmission strategy is used to steer the confidential information towards the intended receiver, and, at the same time, broadcast an interfering signal to confuse unknown eavesdroppers. This thesis considers practical issues in multiple-antenna networks such as limited transmission resources and the lack of accurate information between the authorised transmission parties. The worst-case for the security, that occurs when a powerful eavesdropper takes advantage of any opportunity to put at risk the transmission confidentiality, is addressed. The techniques introduced improve the security by offering efficient and innovative transmission solutions to lock the communication at the physical layer. Notably, these transmission mechanisms strike a balance between confidentiality and quality to satisfy the practical requirements of modern wireless networks.