Cited by 515Cybersecurity and Information SystemsWireless Communication Security TechniquesAdvanced Wireless Communication Technologies

Security and Privacy for 6G: A Survey on Prospective Technologies and Challenges

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Nguyen, Van-Linh, Lin, Po-Ching, Cheng, Bo-Chao, Hwang, Ren-Hung, Lin, Ying-Dar·2021·IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials

Abstract

Sixth-generation (6G) mobile networks will have to cope with diverse threats on a space-air-ground integrated network environment, novel technologies, and an accessible user information explosion. However, for now, security and privacy issues for 6G remain largely in concept. This survey provides a systematic overview of security and privacy issues based on prospective technologies for 6G in the physical, connection, and service layers, as well as through lessons learned from the failures of existing security architectures and state-of-the-art defenses. Two key lessons learned are as follows. First, other than inheriting vulnerabilities from the previous generations, 6G has new threat vectors from new radio technologies, such as the exposed location of radio stripes in ultra-massive MIMO systems at Terahertz bands and attacks against pervasive intelligence. Second, physical layer protection, deep network slicing, quantum-safe communications, artificial intelligence (AI) security, platform-agnostic security, real-time adaptive security, and novel data protection mechanisms such as distributed ledgers and differential privacy are the top promising techniques to mitigate the attack magnitude and personal data breaches substantially.

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Research works printed but not linked: 12

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Authors
Nguyen, V.-L., Lin, P.-C., Cheng, B.-C., Hwang, R.-H., & Lin, Y.-D.
Affiliations
  • Thai Nguyen University of Information and Communication Technology (VN)
  • National Chung Cheng University (TW)
  • National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (TW)
Venue
IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials
Published
2021
Volume
23
Issue
4
Pages
2384-2428
ISSN
  • 1553-877X (ISSN-L)
  • 2373-745X
OpenAlex
W3195333310
Cited by
515
References
224
Citations by year
2026: 79 · 2025: 138 · 2024: 131 · 2023: 114 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 4
FWCI
33.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Cybersecurity and Information Systems
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Wireless Communication Security Techniques
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Advanced Wireless Communication Technologies
Keywords
6G, network security, privacy, space-air-ground integrated networks, ultra-massive MIMO, terahertz communication, physical layer security, network slicing, quantum-safe communication, AI security, distributed ledger technology, differential privacy, data breaches

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