2020 International Conference on Urban Engineering and Management Science (ICUEMS)
6G Wireless Communications: Security Technologies
and Research Challenges
Huangqing Chen* Ke Tu
Communication NCO Academy Communication NCO Academy
Army Engineering University of PLA Army Engineering University of PLA
Chongqing, China Chongqing, China
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Shuang Tang
Jian Li Communication NCO Academy
Communication NCO Academy Army Engineering University of PLA
Army Engineering University of PLA Chongqing, China
Chongqing, China
Zemin Qing
Tingquan Li Southwest Institute of electronic and telecommunication
Communication NCO Academy technology
Army Engineering University of PLA Chengdu, China
Chongqing, China
Abstract—By analyzing the expectations and requirements of the 95% of the ocean area will still have no mobile communication
intelligent information society in 2030, it becomes clear that what signals in 5G era. In addition, 5G communication objects are
technologies would be demanded in 6G wireless network, concentrated in a limited space within 10km above the ground,
especially for security. As promising security technologies, which can not realize the communication vision of “space-air-
Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing and ground-underwater” seamless coverage. With the expectations
Communications, and Blockchain are deliberately provided and of greater connection density, greater transmission bandwidth,
discussed, and these technologies certainly have the ability to lower end-to-end delay, higher reliability and certainty, and
enhance the security for 6G. In addition, two research challenges
more intelligent network characteristics, 6G wireless network
are presented, and the problems and corresponding research
with seamless coverage is essential to integrated applications in
directions of them are provided.
future. Because of the complexity of the network, 6G will face
Keywords-6G; wireless network; security techenology; serious safety challenges. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum
inelltgence; challege Computing and Communications, and Blockchain will be
powerful tools for network security.
I. INTRODUCTION
TABLE I. THE NETWORK CHARACTERISTICS OF 4G,5G,AND 6G[1]
In recent years, researchers and engineers of mobile
wireless communication have been committed to improving the (FeMBB: further-enhance mobile broadband; ERLLC: extremely reliable
quality of user experience, from 4G to 5G and to 6G in future. and low-latency communications; umMTC: ultra-massive machine-type
communications; LDHMC: long-distance and high-mobility communications;
Tab. 1 shows the characteristics of human-oriented 4G, IoE- LDPC: low-density parity check codes; NOMA: nonorthogonal multiple
oriented 5G, and everything-oriented 6G[1]. Besides data rate access; SDN: software-defined networking; NFV: network function
and latency, there are evident differences between 6G and 5G virtualization. )
in performance. To meet the requirements and expectations of Characteristic
MBB
4G
eMBB,
5G 6G
FeMBB, ERLLC,
the intelligent information society in 2030, the researches on Usage Scenarios URLLC, umMTC, LDHMC,
6G wireless network have already been put on the agenda, such Peak Data Rate 100MB/s
mMTC
20GB/s
ELPC
ı1TB/s
as the project “Broadband Communications and New Experienced Data 10MB/s 0.1GB/s 1GB/s
Networks” for 2030 and beyond in China. Rate
Spectrum 3* that of 4G 5-10* that of 5G
1
Efficiency
From the perspective of the space coverage of Network Energy 1* 10-100* that of 4G 10-100* that of 5G
communication network, 5G is still a divergent coverage Efficiency
Area Traffic 0.1MB/s/m2 10MB/s/m2 1GB/s/m2
centred on the base station. As a result, there will be Capacity
communication blind districts in the desert, unmanned area, Connectivity 105 Devices/km2 106 Devices/km2 107 Devices/km2
Density
ocean and other areas not covered by the base station. It is Latency 10ms 1ms 10-100s
estimated that more than 80% of the land area and more than Mobility 350km/h 500km/s ı1000km/s
978-1-7281-8832-4/20/$31.00 ©2020 IEEE 592
DOI 10.1109/ICUEMS50872.2020.00130
Authorized licensed use limited to: Siksha O Anusandhan University. Downloaded on September 05,2023 at 10:32:39 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
z OFDM z mm-wave z THz Communications unitary transformations in form of qubits, quantum computing
z MIMO Communications z SM-MIMO
z Turbo Code z Massive MIMO z LIS and HBF can dramatically accelerate big data analysis and deep learning,
z Carrier Aggregation
z Hetnet
z LDPC and Polar Codes
z Flexible Frame Structure
z OAM Multiplexing
z Laser and VLC
which would not only promote the capacity of network security
Technologies z ICIC z Ultradense Networks z Blockchain but generate more powerful and efficient AI algorithm for 6G.
z D2D Communications z NOMA z Quantum Computing
z Unlicensed Spectrum z Cloud/Fog/Edge and Communications
Computing z AI
z SDN/NFV/Network C. Blockchain
Slicing
Blockchain is a shared distributed database essentially, in
which the data or record blocks stored. With the characteristics
of “unforgeability”, “whole process trace”, “traceability”,
II. SECURITY TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS “openness and transparency”, and “collective maintenance”,
There are many promising technologies which are able to blockchain technologies have constructed a solid “trust”
increase system capacity for 6G. Among these technologies, foundation and created a reliable “cooperation” mechanism. In
the ones that can be used to ensure network security are AI other words, blockchain is a new integrated application mode
technologies, Quantum Computing and Communications, and of distributed data storage, point-to-point transmission,
Blockchain technologies. consensus mechanism, encryption algorithm and other
computer technologies. The abundant application scenarios of
A. Artificial Intelligence blockchain are basically based on the fact that blockchain can
solve the problem of information asymmetry and achieve
As 6G is developed for the intelligent information society cooperative trust and concerted action among multiple subjects
in 2030, Intelligence is the key characteristic of 6G
autonomous wireless network, and AI technologies will be In the application scenarios of blockchain, blockchain-
applied in almost all aspects of 6G. Actually, AI will based spectrum sharing is an available technology for 6G to
effectively realize seamless connection between devices of provide secure, intelligent, low-cost and highly efficient
space-air-ground-underwater network through learning and big decentralized spectrum sharing[6]. Besides, blockchain can be
data training of multi-dimensional data such as network data, used to build security systems such as identity authentication
service data and user data. Furthermore, AI can sense network system to enhance the safety of 6G wireless network.
status in real time, optimize network and improve the quality of
user experience. III. RESEARCH CHALLENGES
In terms of network security, AI technologies can realize
self-organization of knowledge, especially for pattern A. Integrated Security Architecture of Space-air-ground-
recognition learning and classifier construction in firewall and underwater Network
intrusion detection. For example, in Distributed Denial of There remains a view that 6G wireless network is an
Service (DDoS) attack, AI algorithm can be used to learn effective integration of 5G network, satellite communication
intrusion recognition rules[2]. Network Behaviour network and deep-sea-ocean network, and the global seamless
Analytics(NBA) with AI have the ability to detect network coverage would be achieved in 6G. The space-air-ground-
attack, abnormal behaviour and advanced threat through big underwater network in 6G would optimize the links of
data analysis technology with user digital trace[3]. In addition, underwater (offshore, subsea and island communication
Network Security Situation Awareness could lift the ability of equipments), ground (cellular mobile network and other
Information extraction, information preprocessing, information networks), air (all kinds of aircrafts), and space (all kinds of
fusion, situation awareness and situation fusion with AI satellites and spacecrafts), for satisfying the requirements of 6G
technologies[4]. such as seamless coverage and ubiquitous connectivity, as
shown in Fig.1.
B. Quantum Computing and Communications The space-air-ground-underwater network is an integrated,
With the development and integration of information theory heterogeneous, efficient and intelligent network, and the
and quantum theory, quantum technologies have advanced heterogeneity characteristic brings a lot of complexity to the
rapidly in the past two decades, and have gradually entered the network, especially in consideration of security. It is necessary
practical stage. Based on the quantum no-cloning theorem and to consider the functions and features of different types of
uncertainty principle, quantum communications can achieve networks, and design the network security architecture from an
absolute security in theory, as eavesdroppers secretly launch overall perspective. To realize the service security and data
interception or copy actions or measurements, the security, the integrated security architecture is always
eavesdropping behaviours can be easily detected due to constructed on proper security technologies and management
quantum state disturbance. Quantum communications mainly mechanisms to ensure safe communication in the global
involves quantum cryptography communication, quantum seamless network.
teleportation, quantum dense coding, and so on.
The superposition and entanglement principle of quantum
mechanical states makes the state of quantum information units
be in more possibilities, which leads to quantum computing
with much greater potential in capacity and efficiency
compared with classical computing[5]. Therefore, using
593
Authorized licensed use limited to: Siksha O Anusandhan University. Downloaded on September 05,2023 at 10:32:39 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
nodes extent seconds
Backbone Access network Waste of The Matthew Prone to Low
network computing effect branching degree of
Weakness
capacity decentrali
zation
Space network tier
According to different participants, blockchain can be
divided into Public Blockchain, Consortium Blockchain and
Private Blockchain. Various kinds of blockchains can form a
network, in which the chains are interconnected and
intercommunicated, and the interchains are naturally generated.
Air network tier
Different consensus algorithms have distinct characteristics,
which one is the most appropriate depends on the application
scenario and requirements. As identity authentication is a
complex and important problem in heterogeneous network,
how to use appropriate type of blockchain with proper
consensus algorithms to realize identity authentication in 6G
wireless network is a challenging issue.
Super ground station network Internet backbone Cellular network
Terrestrial network tier
IV. CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis and discussions presented above, the
conclusions are obtained as below:
x The advantages of 6G compared with 4G and 5g are
described, especially in the key performance indicators
Broad-sea access network Deep-sea access network and technologies. And it is evident that 6G wireless
Underwater network tier
network would provide more broad coverage and much
Figure 1. The architecture of space-air-ground-underwater network better quality of user experience.
x The security technologies including AI, quantum
technologies and blockchain can be used for 6G to
B. Blockchain-based Identity Authorization System ensure network security, therefore, the functions and
Among the technologies used in blockchain, consensus application methods of these technologies have been
algorithm is the core one. The consensus algorithm is designed discussed.
to solve the problem that how to make all nodes of the whole
network reach an agreement and make the final result credible x The research challenges including integrated security
without a trusted third party. The common consensus architecture of space-air-ground-underwater network
algorithms include Proof of Work(PoW)[7], Proof of and blockchain-based identity authorization system are
Stack(PoS)[8] , Delegated Proof of Stack(DPoS), Distributed briefly analyzed, and the problems and research
Consensus(DC), and so on. The comparison of these directions of the two topics are provided.
algorithms is displayed in Tab.2.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
TABLE II. THE COMPARISON OF CONSENSUS ALGORITHMS This work was supported by the National Natural Science
Foundation of China (No. 61631013).
Characteri PoW PoS DPos DC
stics
REFERENCES
Find specific Determine the Delegates Classic
hash value of difficulty of elected, distribute
nonce, mining accounting d [1] Z. Zhang et al., "6G Wireless Networks: Vision, Requirements,
difficult to according to in turns consensu Architecture, and Key Technologies," in IEEE Vehicular Technology
Mechanism compute and the existing s Magazine, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 28-41, Sept. 2019.
easy to verify assets and technolog
time of ies [2] A. Mitrokotsa, N. Komninos and C. Douligeris, "Intrusion Detection
personal with Neural Networks and Watermarking Techniques for
ownership MANET," IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Services,
Istanbul, 2007, pp. 118-127.
Efficiency Low Medium High High [3] M. H. Bhuyan, D. K. Bhattacharyya and J. K. Kalita, "Network
Recording All All Delegates Leader Anomaly Detection: Methods, Systems and Tools," in IEEE
Communications Surveys & Tutorials, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 303-336, First
Decentralizati Reduce Effectively Realize Quarter 2014.
Advantage on, free consensus record consensu
access of time to some s in
594
Authorized licensed use limited to: Siksha O Anusandhan University. Downloaded on September 05,2023 at 10:32:39 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
[4] Hu Dongxing,et al. Information Network Security Situation Aware [7] Y. Sun, L. Zhang, G. Feng, B. Yang, B. Cao and M. A. Imran,
Technology Based on Artificial Intelligence[J]. Journal of Information "Blockchain-Enabled Wireless Internet of Things: Performance Analysis
Communication, 2012 (6):80-81. and Optimal Communication Node Deployment," in IEEE Internet of
[5] P. Botsinis et al., “Quantum search algorithms for wireless Things Journal, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 5791-5802, June 2019.
communications,”IEEE Commun. Surveys Tut., vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 1209– [8] G. Drakopoulos, E. Kafeza and H. Al Katheeri, "Proof Systems In
1242, 2019. doi: 10.1109/COMST.2018.2882385. Blockchains: A Survey," 2019 4th South-East Europe Design
[6] K. Kotobi and S. G. Bilen, “Secure blockchains for dynamic spectrum Automation, Computer Engineering, Computer Networks and Social
access: A decentralized database in moving cognitive radio networks Media Conference (SEEDA-CECNSM), Piraeus, Greece, 2019, pp. 1-6
enhances security and user access,” IEEE Veh. Technol. Mag., vol. 13,
no. 1, pp. 32–39, Mar. 2018. doi: 10.1109/MVT.2017.2740458.
595
Authorized licensed use limited to: Siksha O Anusandhan University. Downloaded on September 05,2023 at 10:32:39 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
