Security and Privacy for Modern Wireless Communication Systems

The aim of this reprint focuses on the latest protocol research, software/hardware development and implementation, and system architecture design in addressing emerging security and privacy issues for modern wireless communication networks. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, the following: deep-learning-based security and privacy design; covert communications; information-theoretical foundations for advanced security and privacy techniques; lightweight cryptography for power constrained networks; physical layer key generation; prototypes and testbeds for security and privacy solutions; encryption and decryption algorithm for low-latency constrained networks; security protocols for modern wireless communication networks; network intrusion detection; physical layer design with security consideration; anonymity in data transmission; vulnerabilities in security and privacy in modern wireless communication networks; challenges of security and privacy in node–edge–cloud computation; security and privacy design for low-power wide-area IoT networks; security and privacy design for vehicle networks; security and privacy design for underwater communications networks

Advancements in Optical Data Transmission and Security Systems

Optical Communication (OC) for data transmission was introduced more than 30 years ago. It employs two main technologies, fiber optics using a physical wire and Free Space Optical (FSO) wireless transmission. Fiber optics has been well developed over the years in terms of distance, bandwidth, speed, reliability, and other enhancements that contribute to its use. Recent developments in FSO transmission has made it the mainstream and a better alternative compared to RF wireless transmission, concerning all parameters. In this chapter, we focus on advancements in OC that represent innovative ideas of how to enable new methods of secured optical data transmission in different ways and not simply as an extension to current methods and technologies

TSAR: Secure Transfer OF High Resolution Art Images

International audienceThe EROS (European Research Open System) database hosted at the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF) is one of the largest database in the world of Cultural Heritage that is widely recognized for its high resolution images. The French research project TSAR (Transfert Sécurisé d'images d'Art haute Resolution) aims to give the possibility to open this huge amount of art images in a secure and efficient way. For this purpose, we use a mixture of techniques to assure the security of the data involving cryptography and watermarking techniques as well as multi-resolution compression scheme together with a region-level representation. These algorithms are especially optimized for high resolution art images. In particular, this means that the quality of the transmitted images have to be not reduced, implying the use of lossless coding techniques. In this paper we present an overall scheme that provides an efficient, consistent solution for secure data browsing, viewing and transmitting, adoptable by any Cultural Heritage institution

Physical-layer security in 6G networks

The sixth generation (6G) of mobile network will be composed by different nodes, from macro-devices (satellite) to nano-devices (sensors inside the human body), providing a full connectivity fabric all around us. These heterogeneous nodes constitute an ultra dense network managing tons of information, often very sensitive. To trust the services provided by such network, security is a mandatory feature by design. In this scenario, physical-layer security (PLS) can act as a first line of defense, providing security even to low-resourced nodes in different environments. This paper discusses challenges, solutions and visions of PLS in beyond-5G networks

On Secure Cloud Computing for Genomic Data: From Storage to Analysis

Although privacy is generally considered to be the right of an individual or group to control information about themselves, such a right has become challenging to protect in the digital era, this is exemplified by the case of cloud-based genomic computing. Despite the rapid progress in understanding, producing, and using genomic information, the practice of genomic data protection remains a fairly underdeveloped area. One of the indisputable reasons is that most nonexpert individuals do not realize the sensitive nature of their genomic data, unless it has been used against them. Many commercial organizations take advantage of their customers by taking control of personal genomic information, if customers want to benefit from services such as genetic analysis; even worse, these organizations often do not enforce proper protection, which could result in embarrassing data breaches. In this thesis, we investigate the potential threats of cloud- based genomic computing systems and propose various countermeasures by taking into account the functionality requirement. We begin with the most basic system where only symmetric encryption is needed for the cloud storage of genomic data, and we propose a new solution that protects the data against brute-force attacks that threaten the security of password-based encryption in direct-to-consumer companies. The solution employs honey encryption, where plaintext messages need to be transformed to a different space with uniform distribution on elements. We present a novel distribution-transformation encoder. We provide formal security proof of our solution. We analyze the scenario where efficient searching on encrypted data is necessary. We propose a system that provides fast retrieval on encrypted compressed data and that enables individuals to authorize access to fine-grained regions during data retrieval. Our solution addresses three critical dimensions in platforms that use large genomic data: encryption, compression, and efficient data retrieval. Compared with a previous de facto standard solution for storing aligned genomic data, our solution uses 18% less storage. To enable complicated data analysis, we focus on a proposal for secure quality-control of genomic data by using secure multi-party computation based on garbled circuits. Our proposal is for aggregated genomic data sharing, where researchers want to collaborate to perform large-scale genome-wide association studies in order to identify significant genetic variants for certain diseases. Data quality control is the very first stage of such a collaboration and remains a driving factor for further steps. We investigate the feasibility of advanced cryptographic techniques in the data protection of this phase. We demonstrate that for certain protocols, our solution is efficient and scalable. With the advent of precision medicine based on genomic data, the future of big data has become clearly inseparable from cloud-based genomic computing. It is important to continuously re-evaluate the standards of cloud-based genomic computing as novel technologies are developed, security threats arise, and more complex genomic analyses become possible. This is not only a battle against cyber criminals, but also against rigid and ignorant practices. Integrative solutions that carefully consider the use and misuse of personal genomic data are essential for ensuring secure, effective storage and maximizing utility in treating and preventing disease

A critical analysis of research potential, challenges and future directives in industrial wireless sensor networks

In recent years, Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs) have emerged as an important research theme with applications spanning a wide range of industries including automation, monitoring, process control, feedback systems and automotive. Wide scope of IWSNs applications ranging from small production units, large oil and gas industries to nuclear fission control, enables a fast-paced research in this field. Though IWSNs offer advantages of low cost, flexibility, scalability, self-healing, easy deployment and reformation, yet they pose certain limitations on available potential and introduce challenges on multiple fronts due to their susceptibility to highly complex and uncertain industrial environments. In this paper a detailed discussion on design objectives, challenges and solutions, for IWSNs, are presented. A careful evaluation of industrial systems, deadlines and possible hazards in industrial atmosphere are discussed. The paper also presents a thorough review of the existing standards and industrial protocols and gives a critical evaluation of potential of these standards and protocols along with a detailed discussion on available hardware platforms, specific industrial energy harvesting techniques and their capabilities. The paper lists main service providers for IWSNs solutions and gives insight of future trends and research gaps in the field of IWSNs