Projects per year
Abstract
This paper explores the vulnerability of downlink
cell-free massive MIMO systems to passive and active eavesdropping, focusing on a 5G New Radio framework. To enhance the
security of downlink transmissions over the Physical Downlink
Shared Channel (PDSCH) against eavesdropping threats, we propose two novel methods based on cooperative artificial noise (AN).
The first approach, called cooperative artificial noise (CAN), involves all access points (APs) broadcasting AN in the null space of
the users’ channel matrix to confuse potential eavesdroppers. The
second approach, named partial artificial noise (PAN), divides
the APs into two groups: one group cooperatively transmits AN,
while the other group serves the legitimate users. Additionally,
we implement three different precoding schemes for legitimate
users: maximum ratio transmission, zero-forcing, and minimum
mean square error. We conduct link-level simulations of wiretap
channels under various frequency-selective fading scenarios and
noise conditions, using tapped delay line channel models as
defined by the 3GPP TR 38.901 standard. The system’s security
performance is evaluated by analyzing the block error rate of
legitimate users and the block success rate of eavesdroppers.
Despite the limitation of having only one antenna per access point,
our findings demonstrate that AN can be strategically designed
through the cooperation of APs. By designing appropriate groups
of APs specifically for generating AN, our second approach, PAN,
significantly reduces the block successive rate of eavesdroppers,
lowering it from 0.2 witho
cell-free massive MIMO systems to passive and active eavesdropping, focusing on a 5G New Radio framework. To enhance the
security of downlink transmissions over the Physical Downlink
Shared Channel (PDSCH) against eavesdropping threats, we propose two novel methods based on cooperative artificial noise (AN).
The first approach, called cooperative artificial noise (CAN), involves all access points (APs) broadcasting AN in the null space of
the users’ channel matrix to confuse potential eavesdroppers. The
second approach, named partial artificial noise (PAN), divides
the APs into two groups: one group cooperatively transmits AN,
while the other group serves the legitimate users. Additionally,
we implement three different precoding schemes for legitimate
users: maximum ratio transmission, zero-forcing, and minimum
mean square error. We conduct link-level simulations of wiretap
channels under various frequency-selective fading scenarios and
noise conditions, using tapped delay line channel models as
defined by the 3GPP TR 38.901 standard. The system’s security
performance is evaluated by analyzing the block error rate of
legitimate users and the block success rate of eavesdroppers.
Despite the limitation of having only one antenna per access point,
our findings demonstrate that AN can be strategically designed
through the cooperation of APs. By designing appropriate groups
of APs specifically for generating AN, our second approach, PAN,
significantly reduces the block successive rate of eavesdroppers,
lowering it from 0.2 witho
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | 2025 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC) |
| Publisher | IEEE |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 20 Dec 2024 |
| Event | 2025 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference - Mico Milano Congressi, Milan, Italy Duration: 24 Mar 2025 → 27 Mar 2025 |
Conference
| Conference | 2025 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | IEEE WCNC 2025 |
| Country/Territory | Italy |
| City | Milan |
| Period | 24/03/25 → 27/03/25 |
Bibliographical note
© IEEE 2025. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.Keywords
- Physical layer security
- fading channels
- 5G New Radio
- cell-free massive MIMO
- artificial noise
Projects
- 2 Active
-
Cell-free massive MIMO for future wireless networks
Cumanan, K. (Principal investigator) & Burr, A. G. (Co-investigator)
3/07/23 → 2/07/26
Project: Research project (funded) › Research
-
YO-RAN
Burr, A. G. (Principal investigator), Ahmadi, H. (Co-investigator) & Grace, D. (Co-investigator)
21/02/23 → 31/03/25
Project: Research project (funded) › Research