RINGS: Resilience of NextG Communication Systems to Malicious Modification Attacks

下一代无线通信系统（NextG）为恶意行为者提供了更大的攻击面。脆弱性的增加是由许多因素驱动的，包括系统和算法的日益复杂，计算和通信之间界限的模糊，以及物联网（IoT）等新技术的引入，这些新技术从全球化供应链中引入设备，其来源和安全性可能难以验证或保证。该项目调查了NextG无线通信系统硬件或软件恶意修改带来的新风险，并设计了提高下一代通信系统抵御这些风险的弹性的技术。恶意修改可以通过软件或固件更新进入通信系统，这在现在很常见。由于集成电路（IC）制造供应链的延伸，从设计到制造的通信IC中插入了许多漏洞的机会，恶意硬件修改也已经演变成一种可信的威胁。该项目的更广泛意义和重要性在于保护NextG系统免受网络威胁、电气和计算机工程课程开发以及K-12推广。更具体地说，该项目专注于渗透无线通信系统物理层的修改威胁，通过妥协数据造成伤害，或通过干扰和拒绝服务阻碍合法通信。识别了物理层修改威胁的新类别，并对其威胁进行了定量分析。该研究项目进一步研究了检测恶意修改存在的方法，这是删除或中和恶意修改的重要步骤。研究了这些检测技术在对抗不确定性条件下的性能。该项目通过定制设计的硬件平台演示和验证攻击，以及检测和缓解策略。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The next generation of wireless communication systems (NextG) presents a larger attack surface to malicious actors. The increased vulnerability is driven by many factors including the rising complexity of systems and algorithms, the blurring of the line between computing and communication, and the introduction of new technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) that introduce devices from a globalized supply chain, whose provenance and security may be difficult to verify or guarantee. This project investigates the emerging risks from malicious modifications in hardware or software of NextG wireless communication systems, and devises techniques that improve the resilience of the next generation of communication systems against these risks. Malicious modifications can find their way into a communication system via software or firmware updates, which are nowadays common. Malicious hardware modifications have also evolved into a credible threat, due to the stretching of the integrated circuit (IC) fabrication supply chain that creates many opportunities for vulnerabilities to be inserted into a communication IC from design to fabrication. The project’s broader significance and importance are the protection of NextG systems against cyber threats, electrical and computer engineering curriculum development, and K-12 outreach.More specifically, this project concentrates on the modification threats that infiltrate the physical layer of wireless communication systems, inflicting harm by compromising data, or hampering legitimate communication via jamming and denial of service. New classes of modification threats in the physical layer are identified, and their threat is quantitatively analyzed. The research project further studies methods to detect the presence of malicious modifications, an important step for their removal or neutralization. The performance of these detection techniques is studied under adversarial uncertainty. The project demonstrates and verifies the attacks, as well as detection and mitigation strategies, via a custom-designed hardware platform.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.