Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) are designed to dynamically adjust the radio frequency (RF) environment to improve signal quality and coverage. It will be a critical component of the next generation (Next G) millimeter-wave (mmWave) wireless communication. However, RISs can also be conveniently manipulated by an attacker for malicious purposes such as gaining eavesdropping advantages, degrading wireless link quality, or poisoning channel estimation.

These attacks will severely impact the availability, integrity, and security of Next G communication systems. Since the attackers can potentially alter the RF propagation environment at the physical layer, conventional data encryption or authentication mechanisms at the data layer are not useful. To defeat these attacks, the project will carry out four tightly connected research thrusts at the physical layer:

1. investigate and create RIS signal watermark embedding and signature appending to enable efficient and robust RIS signal/propagation path authentication
2. localize malicious RISs through collaborative sensing for spectrum enforcement
3. leverage neural network-based beamforming for low-probability-of-intercept and resilient RIS-assisted communication
4. build a mmWave testbed including the fabrication of a RIS and carry out experimental evaluation

The overall impact of this project will be broadened by dissemination of non-proprietary scientific research and development results and educational material development. The project includes a strong broadening participation program targeting students from underrepresented groups particularly undergraduate women and Black/African American students. Program activities include a seminar series, summer internships, and outreach events, which are designed to expose the students to 5G security issues and stimulate their interest in STEM careers.

This website has been created and maintained by the PI, Kai Zeng, to disseminate and share research results and other information related to the project. We welcome your comments and suggestions by contacting me at kzeng2@gmu.edu

 

Team Members and Partners

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GMU team members:

Collaborators and Partners:

 

Project Activities

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The VT Team extended its SDR platform for initial access experimentation in the millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum, known as STAMINA (https://github.com/CCI-NextG-Testbed/gr_stamina), to include real-time beam management secrecy optimization. We presented these capabilities through a demo with preliminary results at the IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM) in November 2023, where it received the Best Demo Award. In the Spring of 2024, Mr. Adrian Baron-Hyppolite also defended his M.Sc. thesis based on the developed platform and its extensions, and a corresponding paper was accepted to the International Symposium on Wireless Communication Systems 2024 (ISWCS 2024). Figure 1 illustrates the corresponding demo setup.

 

Publications

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1. F. Soleiman, E. Kwao, X. Chen and K. Zeng, "Randomized RIS Signal Watermarking in FutureG Millimeter-Wave Wireless Communications", 2024 IEEE International Conference on Communications Workshops (ICC Workshops), Denver, CO, USA, 2024, pp. 548-553
2. V. R. Anapana, N. H. Stephenson, and V. K. Shah, "Milli-O-RAN: A Flexible, Reconfigurable O-RAN enabled mmWave Network Testbed", IEEE DySPAN Posters/Demos 2024 (Accepted).
3. Adrian Baron-Hyppolite, Jefferson V.F Abreu, Joao F. Santos, Luiz A. DaSilva, Kibilda Jacek,"Adaptive Beam Management for Secure mmWave Communications using Software-Defined Radios", Milcom 2023
4. de_Sena Arthur Sousa, Kibilda Jacek, Mahmood Nurul Huda, Gomes Andre, Latva-Aho Matti, "Malicious RIS Versus Massive MIMO: Securing Multiple Access Against RIS-Based Jamming Attacks", IEEE Wireless Communications Letters, 2024.
5. A. Baron-Hyppolite, J. F. Santos, L. A. DaSilva, and J. Kibilda, “Eavesdropper Avoidance through Adaptive Beam Management in SDR-based Mm-Wave Communications",International Symposium on Wireless Communication Systems (ISWCS), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 14-17 July 2024 (Accepted).
6. A. Gomes, A. S. de Sena, N. H. Mahmood, M. Latva-aho, L. A. DaSilva, and J. Kibilda, “Beam Management Manipulation with Adversarial Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces,” IEEE Globecom, Cape Town, South Africa, 8-12 December 2024 (Accepted).
7. A. S. de Sena, A. Gomes, J. Kibilda, N. H. Mahmood, L. A. DaSilva, and M. Latva-aho, “Malicious RIS Meets RSMA: Unveiling the Robustness of Rate Splitting to RIS-Induced Attacks",IEEE Globecom, Cape Town, South Africa, 8-12 December 2024 (Accepted).
8. A. S. Shekhawat, A. Grace and G. C. Trichopoulos, "BPSK Modulation Using Programmable Metasurfaces", 2024 United States National Committee of URSI National Radio Science Meeting (USNC-URSI NRSM), Boulder, CO, USA, 2024, pp. 96-96.
9. A. S. Shekhawat, B. G. Kashyap, R. W. R. Torres and G. C. Trichopoulos, "A Scalable, Binary Phase, Millimeter-Wave Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface", 2024 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium - IMS 2024, Washington, DC, USA, 2024, pp. 923-926.

 

Teaching and Curriculum Development

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• Spring 2024, George Mason University
• ECE 532: Secure Wireless Communications and Networks, taught by Prof. Kai Zeng
• Fall 2023, George Mason University
• CYSE 425: Secure RF Communications, taught by Prof. Vijay Shah
• Fall 2023, George Mason University
• CS 655: Wireless and Mobile Computing, taught by Prof. Parth Pathak

 

Sponsors and Partners

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• U.S. National Science Foundation through the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) Program under Grant No. 2318796.

 

 

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Note: Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).