mmSec: Experimental Platform for Researching New Security Threats and Capabilities above 100 GHz
Abstract
Millimeter wave (mmWave) and terahertz (THz) bands above 100 GHz are emerging as one of the important paradigms for future wireless systems [1, 2, 3, 4]. These high-frequency communication networks feature larger bandwidth and smaller wavelength, and thus are envisioned to support high data rate and high sensing resolution. In addition to advantages in communication and sensing, such frequencies have new security capabilities including resilience to eavesdroppers [5, 6, 7, 8] and jammers [9] as well as low probability of intercept (LPI) and low probability of detection (LPD) communications [10]. Thus, networks operating above 100 GHz have high potential to realize a new generation of fast and secure networks. However, with the new characteristics, mmWave and THz networks also face new challenges and security threats. A malicious attacker can exploit advances in THz devices and material such as metasurfaces to launch ?metasurface in the middle? attacks to intercept a pencil-beam directional link with an almost imperceptible trace [11]. In addition, the physics of widebeam transmission dictates that directional transmissions can become wider when a large bandwidth is utilized due to angular dispersion. Thus, scaling to high data rates yields a larger signal footprint that potentially benefits an eavesdropper [7]. These security challenges above 100 GHz, along with the proposed solutions, need to be studied in realistic or even contested environments. We propose to build mmSec, an experimental platform for researching new security threats and capabilities above 100 GHz. The proposed mmSec will operate in multiple frequency ranges including, 140-220 GHz, 220-330 GHZ and 330-500 GHz with a maximum bandwidth of 25 GHz. In addition, mmSec will allow a full 4x4 MIMO channel between the transmitter and the receiver which will allow research of wideband multi-user communication between the transmitter and multiple receivers in both the down- and up-link direction. With RF amplifiers and high gain an- tennas, mmSec allows meter-scale modulated transmission. Moreover, the programmability of the transmitter allows implementations of arbitrary waveforms and modulations, enabling experiments with standards-like methods as well as validation of radically new techniques. The higher power and flexible transmitter of the mmSec platform will complement the existing THz time-domain system (TDS) at Rice, which can characterize wireless channels or THz devices from below 150 GHz to above 1 THz, but is limited to a predetermined wideband THz pulse transmission and sub micro-watt transmit power. The proposed mmSec platform will facilitate secure and resilient wireless systems above 100 GHz in realistic or even contested environments. The proposed mmSec platform will include multiple independent receivers that will allow us to simultaneously evaluate the response at the legitimate users and eavesdroppers in different configurations. Since mmSec consists of the neces- sary analog and digital processing components of wireless systems, mmSec will enable research on the whole integrated wireless systems, including testing and integrating of new THz antennas and sensors, physical layer modulation and coding strategies, and MAC layer protocol development. Thus, mmSec will be a powerful platform for proof-of-concept demonstrations for research from THz devices, the physical layer, all the way to the MAC layer. With the mmSec platform, we will explore challenges and opportunities on communication, sensing, and security as wireless systems scale to frequencies above 100 GHz, paving the way to future resilient, secure, and situation-aware wireless systems. (Publicly Releasable Abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 03, 2023
- Source ID
- W911NF2310340
Entities
People
- Edward Knightly
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Rice University
- United States Army