Physical-Layer Security with Multiuser Scheduling in Cognitive Radio Networks

In this paper, we consider a cognitive radio network that consists of one cognitive base station (CBS) and multiple cognitive users (CUs) in the presence of multiple eavesdroppers, where CUs transmit their data packets to CBS under a primary user's quality of service (QoS) constraint while the eavesdroppers attempt to intercept the cognitive transmissions from CUs to CBS. We investigate the physical-layer security against eavesdropping attacks in the cognitive radio network and propose the user scheduling scheme to achieve multiuser diversity for improving the security level of cognitive transmissions with a primary QoS constraint. Specifically, a cognitive user (CU) that satisfies the primary QoS requirement and maximizes the achievable secrecy rate of cognitive transmissions is scheduled to transmit its data packet. For the comparison purpose, we also examine the traditional multiuser scheduling and the artificial noise schemes. We analyze the achievable secrecy rate and intercept probability of the traditional and proposed multiuser scheduling schemes as well as the artificial noise scheme in Rayleigh fading environments. Numerical results show that given a primary QoS constraint, the proposed multiuser scheduling scheme generally outperforms the traditional multiuser scheduling and the artificial noise schemes in terms of the achievable secrecy rate and intercept probability. In addition, we derive the diversity order of the proposed multiuser scheduling scheme through an asymptotic intercept probability analysis and prove that the full diversity is obtained by using the proposed multiuser scheduling.Comment: 12 pages. IEEE Transactions on Communications, 201

Power Efficient and Secure Multiuser Communication Systems with Wireless Information and Power Transfer

In this paper, we study resource allocation algorithm design for power efficient secure communication with simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (WIPT) in multiuser communication systems. In particular, we focus on power splitting receivers which are able to harvest energy and decode information from the received signals. The considered problem is modeled as an optimization problem which takes into account a minimum required signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) at multiple desired receivers, a maximum tolerable data rate at multiple multi-antenna potential eavesdroppers, and a minimum required power delivered to the receivers. The proposed problem formulation facilitates the dual use of artificial noise in providing efficient energy transfer and guaranteeing secure communication. We aim at minimizing the total transmit power by jointly optimizing transmit beamforming vectors, power splitting ratios at the desired receivers, and the covariance of the artificial noise. The resulting non-convex optimization problem is transformed into a semidefinite programming (SDP) and solved by SDP relaxation. We show that the adopted SDP relaxation is tight and achieves the global optimum of the original problem. Simulation results illustrate the significant power saving obtained by the proposed optimal algorithm compared to suboptimal baseline schemes.Comment: Accepted for presentation at the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), Sydney, Australia, 201

Max-min Fair Wireless Energy Transfer for Secure Multiuser Communication Systems

This paper considers max-min fairness for wireless energy transfer in a downlink multiuser communication system. Our resource allocation design maximizes the minimum harvested energy among multiple multiple-antenna energy harvesting receivers (potential eavesdroppers) while providing quality of service (QoS) for secure communication to multiple single-antenna information receivers. In particular, the algorithm design is formulated as a non-convex optimization problem which takes into account a minimum required signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) constraint at the information receivers and a constraint on the maximum tolerable channel capacity achieved by the energy harvesting receivers for a given transmit power budget. The proposed problem formulation exploits the dual use of artificial noise generation for facilitating efficient wireless energy transfer and secure communication. A semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation approach is exploited to obtain a global optimal solution of the considered problem. Simulation results demonstrate the significant performance gain in harvested energy that is achieved by the proposed optimal scheme compared to two simple baseline schemes.Comment: 5 pages, invited paper, IEEE Information Theory Workshop 2014, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, Nov. 201

A Survey on Wireless Security: Technical Challenges, Recent Advances and Future Trends

This paper examines the security vulnerabilities and threats imposed by the inherent open nature of wireless communications and to devise efficient defense mechanisms for improving the wireless network security. We first summarize the security requirements of wireless networks, including their authenticity, confidentiality, integrity and availability issues. Next, a comprehensive overview of security attacks encountered in wireless networks is presented in view of the network protocol architecture, where the potential security threats are discussed at each protocol layer. We also provide a survey of the existing security protocols and algorithms that are adopted in the existing wireless network standards, such as the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and the long-term evolution (LTE) systems. Then, we discuss the state-of-the-art in physical-layer security, which is an emerging technique of securing the open communications environment against eavesdropping attacks at the physical layer. We also introduce the family of various jamming attacks and their counter-measures, including the constant jammer, intermittent jammer, reactive jammer, adaptive jammer and intelligent jammer. Additionally, we discuss the integration of physical-layer security into existing authentication and cryptography mechanisms for further securing wireless networks. Finally, some technical challenges which remain unresolved at the time of writing are summarized and the future trends in wireless security are discussed.Comment: 36 pages. Accepted to Appear in Proceedings of the IEEE, 201

Identifying immersive environments’ most relevant research topics: an instrument to query researchers and practitioners

This paper provides an instrument for ascertaining researchers’ perspectives on the relative relevance of technological challenges facing immersive environments in view of their adoption in learning contexts, along three dimensions: access, content production, and deployment. It described its theoretical grounding and expert-review process, from a set of previously-identified challenges and expert feedback cycles. The paper details the motivation, setup, and methods employed, as well as the issues detected in the cycles and how they were addressed while developing the instrument. As a research instrument, it aims to be employed across diverse communities of research and practice, helping direct research efforts and hence contribute to wider use of immersive environments in learning, and possibly contribute towards the development of news and more adequate systems.The work presented herein has been partially funded under the European H2020 program H2020-ICT-2015, BEACONING project, grant agreement nr. 687676.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Power Minimizer Symbol-Level Precoding: A Closed-Form Sub-Optimal Solution

In this letter, we study the optimal solution of the multiuser symbol-level precoding (SLP) for minimization of the total transmit power under given signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) constraints. Adopting the distance preserving constructive interference regions (DPCIR), we first derive a simplified reformulation of the problem. Then, we analyze the structure of the optimal solution using the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) optimality conditions, thereby we obtain the necessary and sufficient condition under which the power minimizer SLP is equivalent to the conventional zero-forcing beamforming (ZFBF). This further leads us to a closed-form sub-optimal SLP solution (CF-SLP) for the original problem. Simulation results show that CF-SLP provides significant gains over ZFBF, while performing quite close to the optimal SLP in scenarios with rather small number of users. The results further indicate that the CF-SLP method has a reduction of order $10^3$ in computational time compared to the optimal solution.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, 1 table, submitted to IEEE signal processing letter