Channeling a Characteristics-Driven New Paradigm for Wireless Communication Security

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid development of wireless communication technologies, along with the widespread adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G/6G networks, and intelligent systems, is reshaping the landscape of modern communications. Simultaneously, physical layer security, as a core technology ensuring the reliability and confidentiality of information transmission, faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities. By leveraging the inherent physical characteristics of communication channels (such as channel randomness, noise, and multipath effects), physical layer security provides unique solutions to resist eavesdropping, interference, and spoofing attacks, making it a cutting-edge research direction in the field of information security.

Research Background and Trends:

1. ​Security Applications of Channel Characteristics: Physical layer security research focuses on utilizing the uniqueness of wireless channels (e.g., channel state information, radio frequency fingerprints) to achieve identity authentication and key generation, thereby avoiding the computational overhead and potential vulnerabilities of traditional encryption algorithms. For example, key agreement techniques based on channel reciprocity can dynamically generate keys to address security threats in complex environments.
2. ​Anti-Interference and Anti-Eavesdropping Technologies: To counter the vulnerability of wireless signals to interception, research is exploring technologies such as beamforming, artificial noise injection, and intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) to enhance the quality of legitimate links while actively interfering with eavesdroppers, thereby improving communication secrecy capacity.
3. ​Cross-Layer Security Collaboration: By combining machine learning with physical layer parameter optimization, transmission strategies (e.g., power allocation, modulation schemes) can be dynamically adjusted to achieve adaptive security protection in complex attack scenarios.

Objectives of This Special Issue:
This Special Issue aims to gather innovative achievements in the field of physical layer security, covering theoretical breakthroughs, algorithm design, experimental validation, and practical application cases. By promoting the multi-dimensional development of physical layer security technologies, we hope to provide more efficient and lightweight security solutions for next-generation communication systems (e.g., 6G, satellite communications, industrial IoT).

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

• Wireless channel characterization and security modeling;
• Physical layer key generation and dynamic agreement techniques;
• AI-enhanced physical layer security (e.g., generative adversarial networks, reinforcement learning);
• Anti-eavesdropping and anti-interference technologies (e.g., beamforming, artificial noise, intelligent reflecting surfaces);
• Radio frequency fingerprint recognition and device authentication;
• Applications of physical layer security in satellite communications, vehicular networks, and drone networks;
• Cross-layer security joint optimization (physical layer with network/application layers);
• Performance evaluation and standardization of physical layer security protocols;
• Novel mechanisms for physical layer security against quantum computing threats.

We look forward to your outstanding contributions!

Dr. Yuanxiang Chen
Guest Editor

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• physical layer security
• information security
• wireless communications
• channel characteristics