VL Physical Layer Security

Schedule: 2SWS

Course objectives: Security is a prerequisite of modern wireless communication systems and user services. In this course we will introduce a new security paradigm for communication systems called physical layer security (PLS). PLS is an advanced method envisioned to meet the advanced requirements of future communication systems such as low latency ('fast security') and 'plug & secure' functionality. PLS is based on a well-defined mathematical theory exploiting the inherent properties of the wireless channel such as noise and fading. The goal of the course is to present the information-theoretic foundations of PLS including the definition of secrecy capacity definitions for the point-to-point wireless channel with an eavesdropper ('wiretap channel') as well as secret key agreement from stochastic channel measurements.

The course will also take on the attackers view and address potential attacks. Finally, several potential deployment scenarios such as the Internet of Things will be discussed.

Course Content:

• Overview of security schemes in communication systems: layer model, asymmetric/symmetric encryption, PLS classifications

• Wiretap channel: basic definitions and assumptions, secrecy capacity, strong/weak secrecy, coding methods, MIMO channel, multiuser aspects

• Secret key agreement: source models, key generation, common randomness, reciprocal wireless channel, correlation properties

• Attacker models: passive/active, 'man in the middle', jamming

• Deployment scenarios: lightweight security, wormhole detection

Course supporting material:

Matthieu Bloch and Joao Barros:

Physical Layer Security: From Information Theory to Security Engineering. Cambridge University Press, 2011