Privacy and Security Vulnerabilities in 6G and Beyond Networks

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Networks".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 884

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
Interests: cross-layer authentication; vehicular ad hoc networks; physical-layer authentication; cryptography and number theory; blockchain; smart contracts; communication security; reconfigurable intelligent surfaces; physical-layer security; localisation

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Guest Editor
School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CSEE), University of Essex, Colchester Campus, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
Interests: 5G and beyond; AI-enabled wireless networks; open RAN; intelligent reflecting surfaces; RF energy harvesting; sustainable wireless communication; navigation; reconfigurable intelligent surface

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Guest Editor
Department of Computer and Information Science, Northumbria University, Newcastle NE1 8ST, UK
Interests: open RAN; energy efficiency; cooperative communications; AI-enabled wireless networks; vehicular networks

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As intelligent systems become increasingly embedded in modern infrastructure, the development of robust, scalable, and trustworthy software becomes more critical than ever. Emerging technologies such as 6G, blockchain, and artificial intelligence are transforming sectors like transportation, healthcare, and manufacturing, posing new challenges and opportunities for software engineering. In particular, the rise of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITSs) demands innovative software solutions that can support distributed architectures, real-time analytics, high mobility, and stringent security requirements.

This Special Issue, titled “Privacy and Security Vulnerabilities in 6G and Beyond Networks”, invites high-quality research contributions that address foundational theories, practical methodologies, and real-world applications of software engineering in the context of next-generation systems. We are especially interested in submissions that explore the intersection of software engineering with cutting-edge technologies such as 6G communications, blockchain-based trust frameworks, and AI-driven automation. Case studies and prototypes demonstrating applications in Intelligent Transport Systems and similar domains are highly encouraged.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Software architecture and engineering methods for 6G-enabled systems;
  • Blockchain-based software frameworks for trust, identity, and privacy;
  • Reconfigurable and intelligent software for connected vehicles and ITSs;
  • AI and machine learning integration in software development lifecycles;
  • Federated learning and distributed computing in software applications;
  • Model-driven engineering for real-time, adaptive systems;
  • Verification, validation, and testing of safety-critical software;
  • Quantum-safe and resilient software security protocols.

Dr. Mahmoud A. Shawky
Dr. Syed Tariq Shah
Dr. Rana Muhammad Sohaib
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • software engineering
  • intelligent transport systems
  • 6G communication
  • blockchain
  • artificial intelligence
  • federated learning
  • trust management
  • cybersecurity

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

26 pages, 573 KB  
Article
Mutual V2I Multifactor Authentication Using PUFs in an Unsecure Multi-Hop Wi-Fi Environment
by Mohamed K. Elhadad and Fayez Gebali
Electronics 2025, 14(21), 4167; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14214167 - 24 Oct 2025
Viewed by 478
Abstract
Secure authentication in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) remains a fundamental challenge due to their dynamic topology, susceptibility to attacks, and scalability constraints in multi-hop communication. Existing approaches based on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), blockchain, and fog computing have achieved partial success but [...] Read more.
Secure authentication in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) remains a fundamental challenge due to their dynamic topology, susceptibility to attacks, and scalability constraints in multi-hop communication. Existing approaches based on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), blockchain, and fog computing have achieved partial success but suffer from latency, resource overhead, and limited adaptability, leaving a gap for lightweight and hardware-rooted trust models. To address this, we propose a multi-hop mutual authentication protocol leveraging Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs), which provide tamper-evident, device-specific responses for cryptographic key generation. Our design introduces a structured sequence of phases, including pre-deployment, registration, login, authentication, key establishment, and session maintenance, with optional multi-hop extension through relay vehicles. Unlike prior schemes, our protocol integrates fuzzy extractors for error tolerance, employs both inductive and game-based proofs for security guarantees, and maps BAN-logic reasoning to specific attack resistances, ensuring robustness against replay, impersonation, and man-in-the-middle attacks. The protocol achieves mutual trust between vehicles and RSUs while preserving anonymity via temporary identifiers and achieving forward secrecy through non-reused CRPs. Conceptual comparison with state-of-the-art PUF-based and non-PUF schemes highlights the potential for reduced latency, lower communication overhead, and improved scalability via cloud-assisted CRP lifecycle management, while pointing to the need for future empirical validation through simulation and prototyping. This work not only provides a secure and efficient solution for VANET authentication but also advances the field by offering the first integrated taxonomy-driven evaluation of PUF-enabled V2X protocols in multi-hop Wi-Fi environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Privacy and Security Vulnerabilities in 6G and Beyond Networks)
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