Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physical layer security for massive access in cellular Internet of Things

  • Review
  • Published:
Science China Information Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The upcoming fifth generation (5G) cellular network is required to provide seamless access for a massive number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices over the limited radio spectrum. In the context of massive spectrum sharing among heterogeneous IoT devices, wireless security becomes a critical issue owing to the broadcast nature of wireless channels. According to the characteristics of the cellular IoT network, physical layer security (PHY-security) is a feasible and effective way of realizing secure massive access. This article reviews the security issues in the cellular IoT network with an emphasis on revealing the corresponding challenges and opportunities for the design of secure massive access. Furthermore, we provide a survey on PHY-security techniques to improve the secrecy performance. Especially, we propose a secure massive access framework for the cellular IoT network by exploiting the inherent co-channel interferences. Finally, we discuss several potential research directions to further enhance the security of massive IoT.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zanella A, Bui N, Castellani A, et al. Internet of Things for smart cities. IEEE Internet Things J, 2014, 1: 22–32

    Google Scholar 

  2. Xu L D, He W, Li S. Internet of Things in industries: a survey. IEEE Trans Ind Inf, 2014, 10: 2233–2243

    Google Scholar 

  3. Zhang H B, Li J P, Wen B, et al. Connecting intelligent things in smart hospitals using NB-IoT. IEEE Internet Things J, 2018, 5: 1550–1560

    Google Scholar 

  4. Palattella M R, Dohler M, Grieco A, et al. Internet of Things in the 5G era: enablers, architecture, and business models. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun, 2016, 34: 510–527

    Google Scholar 

  5. Statista Research Department. Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices installed base worldwide from 2015 to 2025 (in billions). 2016. https://www.statista.com/statistics/471264/iot-number-of-connected-devices-worldwide

  6. Chen X M. Massive Access for Cellular Internet of Things: Theory and Technique. Singapore: Springer, 2019

    Google Scholar 

  7. 3GPP. Cellular System Support for Ultra-Low Complexity and Low Throughput Internet of Things (CIoT) (Release 13). Technical Report, TR 45.820 V13.1.0. Technical Specification Group GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network, 2015. https://portal.3gpp.org/desktopmodules/Specifications/SpecificationDetails.aspx?specificationId=2719

  8. Han S J, Xu X D, Fang S S, et al. Energy efficient secure computation offloading in NOMA-based mMTC networks for IoT. IEEE Internet Things J, 2019, 6: 5674–5690

    Google Scholar 

  9. Zi R, Liu J, Gu L, et al. Enabling security and high energy efficiency in the Internet of Things with massive MIMO hybrid precoding. IEEE Internet of Things J, 2019, 6: 8615–8625

    Google Scholar 

  10. Khari M, Garg A K, Gandomi A H, et al. Securing data in Internet of Things (IoT) using cryptography and stegangraphy techniques. IEEE Trans Syst Man Cybernetics: Syst, 2019. doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/TSMC.2019.2903785

  11. Liu Z, Seo H. IoT-NUMS: evaluating NUMS elliptic curve cryptography for IoT platforms. IEEE Trans Inform Forensic Secur, 2019, 14: 720–729

    Google Scholar 

  12. Yang N, Wang L F, Geraci G, et al. Safeguarding 5G wireless communication networks using physical layer security. IEEE Commun Mag, 2015, 53: 20–27

    Google Scholar 

  13. Mukherjee A. Physical-layer security in the Internet of Things: sensing and communication confidentiality under resource constraints. Proc IEEE, 2015, 103: 1747–1761

    Google Scholar 

  14. Gopala P K, Lai L, El Gamal H. On the secrecy capacity of fading channels. IEEE Trans Inform Theor, 2008, 54: 4687–4698

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  15. Chen X, Chen H H. Physical layer security in multi-cell MISO downlinks with incomplete CSI-A unified secrecy performance analysis. IEEE Trans Signal Process, 2014, 62: 6286–6297

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  16. Khisti A, Wornell G W. Secure transmission with multiple antennas I: the MISOME wiretap channel. IEEE Trans Inform Theor, 2010, 56: 3088–3104

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. Ji X S, Huang K Z, Jin L, et al. Overview of 5G security technology. Sci China Inf Sci, 2018, 61: 081301

    Google Scholar 

  18. Zhang J Q, Duong T Q, Woods R, et al. Securing wireless communications of the Internet of Things from the physical layer, an overview. Entropy, 2017, 19: 420

    Google Scholar 

  19. Shiu Y S, Chang S Y, Wu H C, et al. Physical layer security in wireless networks: a tutorial. IEEE Wirel Commun, 2011, 18: 66–74

    Google Scholar 

  20. Qi X H, Huang K Z, Li B, et al. Physical layer security in multi-antenna cognitive heterogeneous cellular networks: a unified secrecy performance analysis. Sci China Inf Sci, 2018, 61: 022310

    Google Scholar 

  21. Chen X M, Yin R. Performance analysis for physical layer security in multi-antenna downlink networks with limited CSI feedback. IEEE Wirel Commun Lett, 2013, 2: 503–506

    Google Scholar 

  22. Wang G, Lin Y, Meng C, et al. Secrecy energy efficiency optimization for AN-aided SWIPT system with power splitting receiver. Sci China Inf Sci, 2019, 62: 029301

    Google Scholar 

  23. Zou Y L, Zhu J, Wang X B, et al. A survey on wireless security: technical challenges, recent advances, and future trends. Proc IEEE, 2016, 104: 1727–1765

    Google Scholar 

  24. Chen X M, Lei L, Zhang H Z, et al. Large-scale MIMO relaying techniques for physical layer security: AF or DF? IEEE Trans Wirel Commun, 2015, 14: 5135–5146

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zhu J, Schober R, Bhargava V K. Secure transmission in multicell massive MIMO systems. IEEE Trans Wirel Commun, 2014, 13: 4766–4781

    Google Scholar 

  26. Mukherjee A, Fakoorian S A A, Huang J, et al. Principles of physical layer security in multiuser wireless networks: a survey. IEEE Commun Surv Tutorials, 2014, 16: 1550–1573

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chen X M, Ng D W K, Gerstacker W H, et al. A survey on multiple-antenna techniques for physical layer security. IEEE Commun Surv Tutorials, 2017, 19: 1027–1053

    Google Scholar 

  28. Chen X M, Zhong C J, Yuen C, et al. Multi-antenna relay aided wireless physical layer security. IEEE Commun Mag, 2015, 53: 40–46

    Google Scholar 

  29. Zhang Z Y, Wang X B, Zhang Y, et al. Grant-free rateless multiple access: a novel massive access scheme for Internet of Things. IEEE Commun Lett, 2016, 20: 2019–2022

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ding J, Qu D M, Jiang H, et al. Success probability of grant-free random access with massive MIMO. IEEE Internet Things J, 2019, 6: 506–516

    Google Scholar 

  31. Jeong B K, Shim B, Lee K B. MAP-based active user and data detection for massive machine-type communications. IEEE Trans Veh Technol, 2018, 67: 8481–8494

    Google Scholar 

  32. Shao X, Chen X, Jia R. Low-complexity design of massive device detection via Riemannian pursuit. In: Proceeding of IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), 2019. 1–6

  33. Ahn J, Shim B, Lee K B. EP-based joint active user detection and channel estimation for massive machine-type communications. IEEE Trans Commun, 2019, 67: 5178–5189

    Google Scholar 

  34. Liu L, Yu W. Massive connectivity with massive MIMO-Part I: device activity detection and channel estimation. IEEE Trans Signal Process, 2018, 66: 2933–2946

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  35. Chen X M, Zhang Z Y, Zhong C J, et al. Fully non-orthogonal communication for massive access. IEEE Trans Commun, 2018, 66: 1717–1731

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wu Y P, Schober R, Ng D W K, et al. Secure massive MIMO transmission with an active eavesdropper. IEEE Trans Inform Theor, 2016, 62: 3880–3900

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  37. Chen J, Chen X M, Gerstacker W H, et al. Resource allocation for a massive MIMO relay aided secure communication. IEEE Trans Inform Forensic Secur, 2016, 11: 1700–1711

    Google Scholar 

  38. Li S, Li Q, Shao S H. Robust secrecy beamforming for full-duplex two-way relay networks under imperfect channel state information. Sci China Inf Sci, 2018, 61: 022307

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  39. Zhu F C, Gao F F, Lin H, et al. Robust beamforming for physical layer security in BDMA massive MIMO. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun, 2018, 36: 775–787

    Google Scholar 

  40. Li B, Fei Z S. Probabilistic-constrained robust secure transmission for energy harvesting over MISO channels. Sci China Inf Sci, 2018, 61: 022303

    Google Scholar 

  41. Qi Q, Chen X M. Wireless powered massive access for cellular Internet of Things with imperfect SIC and nonlinear EH. IEEE Internet Things J, 2019, 6: 3110–3120

    Google Scholar 

  42. Zhang S, Xu X M, Peng J H, et al. Physical layer security in massive internet of things: delay and security analysis. IET Commun, 2019, 34: 93–98

    Google Scholar 

  43. Seo H, Hong J P, Choi W. Low latency random access for sporadic MTC devices in Internet of Things. IEEE Internet Things J, 2019, 6: 5108–5118

    Google Scholar 

  44. Jiang N, Deng Y S, Nallanathan A, et al. Analyzing random access collisions in massive IoT networks. IEEE Trans Wirel Commun, 2018, 17: 6853–6870

    Google Scholar 

  45. Jia D, Fei Z S, Xiao M, et al. Enhanced frameless slotted ALOHA protocol with Markov chains analysis. Sci China Inf Sci, 2018, 61: 102304

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  46. Shao X D, Chen X M, Zhong C J, et al. A unified design of massive access for cellular Internet of Things. IEEE Internet Things J, 2019, 6: 3934–3947

    Google Scholar 

  47. Jiang T, Shi Y M, Zhang J, et al. Joint activity detection and channel estimation for IoT networks: phase transition and computation-estimation tradeoff. IEEE Internet Things J, 2019, 6: 6212–6225

    Google Scholar 

  48. Chen Z L, Sohrabi F, Yu W. Sparse activity detection for massive connectivity. IEEE Trans Signal Process, 2018, 66: 1890–1904

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  49. Li Y, Xia M H, Wu Y C. Activity detection for massive connectivity under frequency offsets via first-order algorithms. IEEE Trans Wirel Commun, 2019, 18: 1988–2002

    Google Scholar 

  50. Yu G, Chen X, Ng D W K. Low-cost design of massive access for cellular internet of things. IEEE Trans Commun, 2019, 67: 8008–8020

    Google Scholar 

  51. Chen X M, Jia R D. Exploiting rateless coding for massive access. IEEE Trans Veh Technol, 2018, 67: 11253–11257

    Google Scholar 

  52. Chen X M, Zhang Z Y, Zhong C J, et al. Exploiting multiple-antenna techniques for non-orthogonal multiple access. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun, 2017, 35: 2207–2220

    Google Scholar 

  53. Ding Z G, Lei X F, Karagiannidis G K, et al. A survey on non-orthogonal multiple access for 5G networks: research challenges and future trends. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun, 2017, 35: 2181–2195

    Google Scholar 

  54. Jia R D, Chen X M, Zhong C J, et al. Design of non-orthogonal beamspace multiple access for cellular Internet-of-Things. IEEE J Sel Top Signal Process, 2019, 13: 538–552

    Google Scholar 

  55. Moon S, Lee H S, Lee J W. SARA: sparse code multiple access-applied random access for IoT devices. IEEE Internet Things J, 2018, 5: 3160–3174

    Google Scholar 

  56. Jia M, Wang L F, Guo Q, et al. A low complexity detection algorithm for fixed up-link SCMA system in mission critical scenario. IEEE Internet Things J, 2018, 5: 3289–3297

    Google Scholar 

  57. Alnoman A, Erkucuk S, Anpalagan A. Sparse code multiple access-based edge computing for IoT systems. IEEE Internet of Things J, 2019, in press

  58. Yang T H, Zhang R Q, Cheng X, et al. Secure massive MIMO under imperfect CSI: performance analysis and channel prediction. IEEE Trans Inform Forensic Secur, 2019, 14: 1610–1623

    Google Scholar 

  59. Chen X M, Ng D W K, Chen H H. Secrecy wireless information and power transfer: challenges and opportunities. IEEE Wirel Commun, 2016, 23: 54–61

    Google Scholar 

  60. Wang H M, Huang K W, Tsiftsis T A. Multiple antennas secure transmission under pilot spoofing and Jamming attack. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun, 2018, 36: 860–876

    Google Scholar 

  61. Wu Y, Wen C K, Chen W, et al. Data-aided secure massive MIMO transmission under th pilot contamination attack. IEEE Trans Commun, 2019, 67: 4765–4781

    Google Scholar 

  62. Jeong S, Lee K, Kang J. Cooperative jammer design in cellular network with internal eavesdroppers. In: Proceedings of IEEE Military Commun Conf (MILCOM), 2012. 1–5

  63. Deng Z, Sang Q, Gao Y, et al. Optimal relay selection for wireless relay channel with external eavesdropper: a NN-based approach. In: Proceedings of IEEE/CIC intern Conf Commun (ICCC), 2018. 515–519

  64. Deng H, Wang H M, Yuan J H, et al. Secure communication in uplink transmissions: user selection and multiuser secrecy gain. IEEE Trans Commun, 2016, 64: 3492–3506

    Google Scholar 

  65. Wang H M, Yang Q, Ding Z G, et al. Secure short-packet communications for mission-critical IoT applications. IEEE Trans Wirel Commun, 2019, 18: 2565–2578

    Google Scholar 

  66. Mokari N, Parsaeefard S, Saeedi H, et al. Secure robust ergodic uplink resource allocation in relay-assisted cognitive radio networks. IEEE Trans Signal Process, 2015, 63: 291–304

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  67. Chen X M, Zhang Y. Mode selection in MU-MIMO downlink networks: a physical-layer security perspective. IEEE Syst J, 2017, 11: 1128–1136

    Google Scholar 

  68. Chen X M, Jia R D, Ng D W K. On the design of massive non-orthogonal multiple access with imperfect successive interference cancellation. IEEE Trans Commun, 2019, 67: 2539–2551

    Google Scholar 

  69. Chen X M, Zhang Z Y, Zhong C J, et al. Exploiting inter-user interference for secure massive non-orthogonal multiple access. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun, 2018, 36: 788–801

    Google Scholar 

  70. Zhang Y Y, Shen Y L, Wang H, et al. On secure wireless communications for IoT under eavesdropper collusion. IEEE Trans Automat Sci Eng, 2016, 13: 1281–1293

    Google Scholar 

  71. Liu L, Larsson E G, Yu W, et al. Sparse signal processing for grant-free massive connectivity: a future paradigm for random access protocols in the Internet of Things. IEEE Signal Process Mag, 2018, 35: 88–99

    Google Scholar 

  72. Shao X D, Chen X M, Zhong C J, et al. Protocol design and analysis for cellular internet of things with massive access. In: Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 2019. 1–6

  73. Wang J, Zhang Z Y, Hanzo L. Joint active user detection and channel estimation in massive access systems exploiting reed-muller sequences. IEEE J Sel Top Signal Process, 2019, 13: 739–752

    Google Scholar 

  74. Kapetanovic D, Zheng G, Rusek F. Physical layer security for massive MIMO: an overview on passive eavesdropping and active attacks. IEEE Commun Mag, 2015, 53: 21–27

    Google Scholar 

  75. Lu L, Li G Y, Swindlehurst A L, et al. An overview of massive MIMO: benefits and challenges. IEEE J Sel Top Signal Process, 2014, 8: 742–758

    Google Scholar 

  76. Chen X M, Yuen C, Zhang Z Y. Exploiting large-scale MIMO techniques for physical layer security with imperfect channel state information. In: Proceedings of IEEE Global Communication Conference (GLOBECOM), 2014. 1–6

  77. Xu C, Zeng P, Liang W, et al. Secure resource allocation for green and cognitive device-to-device communication. Sci China Inf Sci, 2018, 61: 029305

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  78. Hu J W, Yang N, Cai Y M. Secure downlink transmission in the Internet of Things: how many antennas are needed? IEEE J Sel Areas Commun, 2018, 36: 1622–1634

    Google Scholar 

  79. Li T Q, Ai Z Y, Ji W Z. Primate stem cells: bridge the translation from basic research to clinic application. Sci China Life Sci, 2019, 62: 12–21

    Google Scholar 

  80. Liu T Q, Han S, Meng W X, et al. Dynamic power allocation scheme with clustering based on physical layer security. IET Commun, 2018, 6: 2546–2551

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61871344, 61922071, U1709219, 61725104), National Science and Technology Major Project of China (Grant No. 2018ZX03001017-002), and National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFB1801104).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Qiao Qi, Xiaoming Chen, Caijun Zhong & Zhaoyang Zhang

Authors
  1. Qiao Qi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaoming Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Caijun Zhong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhaoyang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaoming Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Qi, Q., Chen, X., Zhong, C. et al. Physical layer security for massive access in cellular Internet of Things. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 63, 121301 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-019-2650-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-019-2650-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation