Revolutionizing Physical Layer Security for Wireless Communications

在本研究中，我们将通过质疑和重新思考当前无线通信系统的基本假设（和功能）来开发革命性的通信安全机制。在无线通信中，将数据安全地从发射机发送到合法的接收器是一项极其重要的任务。随着越来越多的人出于各种原因使用更多的无线设备发送个人数据，以及发送信用卡或网上银行的敏感数据，安全问题变得更加重要。随着智能手机和平板电脑取代个人电脑，无线数据流量呈指数级增长：全球无线数据流量预计将从2012年的5艾字节（10^18字节）增长到2017年的21艾字节（增长超过300%）。由于攻击者可能试图获得对数据的未经授权的访问，因此安全数据传输的重要性再怎么强调也不为过。当前安全数据传输的标准方法是使用基于密码学的密钥。如今，无线网络正从点对点通信向更复杂和无基础设施的网络发展，如自组织网络、合作网络、车载网络等。在这些网络中，多个终端进行通信，网络拓扑结构非常动态。在这种情况下，基于经典密码学的密钥分发或管理变得非常具有挑战性。此外，随着计算能力的迅速提高，密码学实现的实际安全强度有时会受到质疑。为了解决这些问题，一种全新的方法最近受到了广泛关注，即物理层安全。无线系统的功能可以划分为多个逻辑层。最底层称为物理层，它表示设备通过物理无线介质进行信号的物理传输。在新的物理层安全方法中，传输的数据在这个物理层受到保护（而不是在进行经典加密的更高层）。在提出的研究中，我们将彻底改变物理层的安全机制。我们将首先质疑和研究安全措施本身，这将为我们了解基本的安全机制提供有价值的见解。然后，研究两个关键问题，采样和功率控制，数字无线系统，我们将开发两个新的突破性方案：安全采样和安全功率控制。最后，我们将从窃听者的角度（而不是从发送者的角度）来研究安全性。这确实是物理层安全领域的一个范式转变。通过了解最有效的窃听策略，我们将为最终建立更安全的无线通信系统奠定基础。拟议的研究成果将为加拿大工业提供新的有效的安全机制。在加拿大，无线产业对经济的贡献是深远的：它贡献了430亿美元和大约261,000个工作岗位。拟议的研究将使加拿大无线公司能够开发实用且具有成本效益的安全通信系统。最重要的是，拟议的研究是“专门和战略性地”设计用于在两个关键领域训练HQP: i)宽带无线通信和ii)包括密码学在内的物理层通信安全。在拟议的研究项目中，4名硕士和5名博士将接受培训，挑战现有的最先进通信系统的基本假设，以识别和确定基本研究问题，并在该领域做出创新贡献。

In the proposed research, we will develop revolutionary communication security mechanisms by questioning and rethinking fundamental assumptions (and functionalities) of current wireless communications systems. In wireless communications, sending data securely from the transmitter to the legitimate receiver(s) is an extremely important task. This issue of security is becoming even more critical as growing number of people use more wireless devices to send personal data for various reasons and to send sensitive data for credit card or online banking. As smartphones and tablets replace personal computers, wireless data traffic is growing exponentially: the global wireless data traffic is expected to rise from 5 Exabytes (10^18 bytes) in 2012 to 21 Exabytes in 2017 (more than 300% increase). Because adversaries may attempt to gain unauthorized access to data, the importance of secure data transmission cannot be over-emphasized. A current standard approach to secure data transmission is to use secret keys based on cryptography. These days, the wireless networks are evolving from point-to-point communications towards more complex and infrastructure-less networks such as ad hoc networks, cooperative networks, vehicular networks, etc. In these networks, multiple terminals are engaged in communication and the network topology can be very dynamic. In this case, key distribution or management based on classical cryptography becomes very challenging. Furthermore, the actual strength of security achieved by cryptography is sometimes questioned as computing power rapidly improves. To address these issues, a fundamentally new approach has recently received a lot of attention, namely, Physical Layer Security. The functions of a wireless system can be partitioned into multiple logical layers. The lowest layer is called the physical layer, which represents physical transmission of signals from the devices over physical wireless medium. In the new Physical Layer Security approach, the transmitted data is secured at this physical layer (rather than at higher layers where classical cryptography takes place). In the proposed research, we will revolutionize the physical layer security mechanisms. We will first question and study the security measure itself, which will give us valuable insights into fundamental security mechanisms. Then, examining two key issues, sampling and power control, of digital wireless systems, we will develop two new ground-breaking schemes: secure sampling and secure power control. Finally, we will study the security from the perspective of the eavesdropper, (rather than from the perspective of the transmitter). This is indeed a paradigm shift in the area of physical layer security. By understanding the most effective eavesdropper strategies, we will lay the groundwork to eventually build more secure wireless communications systems. The outcomes of the proposed research will provide Canadian industry with new and effective security mechanisms.In Canada, the economic contribution of wireless industry is profound: it contributes $43 billion and about 261,000 jobs. The proposed research will enable Canadian wireless companies to develop practical and cost-effective secure communications systems. Most of all, the proposed research is “specifically and strategically” designed to train HQP in two key areas: i) wideband wireless communications and ii) communications security at the physical layer including cryptography. In the proposed research program, 4 MSc and 5 PhD students will be trained to challenge existing fundamental assumptions in state-of-the-art communications systems to recognize and identify fundamental research issues, and to make innovative contributions in the area.