Physical-layer security for primary users in 5G underlay cognitive radio system via artificial-noise-aided by secondary users

Abstract

The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized connectivity by interconnecting a vast array of devices, underscoring the critical need for robust data security, particularly at the Physical Layer Security (PLS). Ensuring data confidentiality and integrity during wireless communications poses a primary challenge in IoT environments. Additionally, within the constrained frequency bands available, Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs) has emerged as an urgent necessity to optimize spectrum utilization. This technology enables intelligent management of radio frequencies, enhancing network efficiency and adaptability to dynamic environmental changes. In this research, we focus on examining the PLS for the primary channel within the underlying CRNs. Our proposed model involves a primary source-destination pair and a secondary transmitter-receiver pair sharing the same frequency band simultaneously. In the presence of a common eavesdropper, the primary concern lies in securing the primary link communication. The secondary user (SU) acts as cooperative jamming, strategically allocating a portion of its transmission power to transmit artificial interference, thus confusing the eavesdropper and protecting the primary user's (PU) communication. The transmit power of the SU is regulated by the maximum interference power tolerated by the primary network's receiver. To evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed protocol, we develop closed-form mathematical expressions for intercept probability ($P_{\mathrm{int}}$) and outage probability (OP) along the primary communication link. Additionally, we derive mathematical expressions for OP along the secondary communications network. Furthermore, we investigate the impact of transmit power allocation on intercept and outage probabilities across various links. Through both simulation and theoretical analysis, our protocol aims to enhance protection and outage efficiency for the primary link while ensuring appropriate secondary OP, thereby contributing to advancements in IoT security and spectrum management.

Keywords:

• Internet of things
• cognitive radio
• physical layer security

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Compliance with ethical standards

Research involving human participants and/or animals: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Data availability statement

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ayat M. Al-Rjoob

Ayat M. Al-Rjoob received the M.Sc. degree in wireless communication from Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, in 2020. her research interests include physical layer security in spectrum sharing systems, mmWave and solar photovoltaic systems. Presently she is a Teaching Assistant with the Electrical Engineering Department, German-Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan.

Ahmad A. Ababnah

Ahmad A. Ababnah received the B.Sc. degree from Mutah University, Mutah, Jordan, M.Sc. degree from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA, and Ph.D. degree from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA all in Electrical Engineering, in 2003, 2007, and 2010, respectively. Presently he is a Professor with the Electrical Engineering Department, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. His research interests include Bayesian filtering, distributed detection and estimation, sensor networks and 5G communication systems.

Mamoun F. Al-Mistarihi

Mamoun F. Al-Mistarihi received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, M.E.E. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, in 1992, 1996, 2005, and 2005, respectively. From April 1994 to December 2000, he was with the Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan. Presently he is a Professor with the Electrical Engineering Department, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. His research interests include digital signal processing, image processing, digital signal processing for communications, wireless communications and mobile networks, performance evaluation of wireless communication systems over fading channels, security of wireless systems, WiMAX, wireless Ad Hoc networks, and wireless sensor networks.

Khalid A. Darabkh

Khalid A. Darabkh received the PhD degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), USA, in 2007 with honors. He was selected for inclusion in the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. He was honored by UAH for being not only so outstanding, but also finishing the PhD requirements along with publishing a massive number of reputable scientific articles in record time. He has joined the Computer Engineering Department at the University of Jordan as an Assistant Professor since 2007 and promoted exceptionally for professorship in 2016. He authored and co-authored of at least two hundred and ten highly esteemed research articles. He is among World’s Top 2% Scientists List, for various disciplines, compiled by Stanford University in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Prof. Darabkh is the recipient of the Distinguished Researcher Award of the scientific faculties/schools at the University of Jordan for his distinctive research during the period 2018–2022. Prof. Darabkh is the recipient of 2020 Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils Reward – Theme of Invention and Innovation. Prof. Darabkh is the recipient of Ali Mango Distinguished Researcher Award for Scientific Colleges and Research Centers in Jordan for his distinctive research during the period 2012–2016. He is further the recipient of the Most Cited Researchers Award at the University of Jordan at Scopus during 2017–2021. He is among Top 1% JU Researcher’s List who published the highest number of quality manuscripts in Scopus. Prof. Darabkh serves on the Editorial Board of Telecommunication Systems, published by Springer, Computer Applications in Engineering Education, published by John Wiley & Sons, and Journal of High Speed Networks, published by IOS Press. Moreover, he is a member of many professional and honorary societies, including Eta Kappa Nu, Tau Beta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, and Sigma XI. He was listed among those of IBC Leading Scientists of the World, Cambridge, England as well as IBC 2000 Outstanding Scientists, Cambridge, England. He was selected for inclusion in the Marquis Who’s Who in Science and Engineering and Marquis Who’s Who in the World. He was further selected for inclusion in the Who’s Who in Engineering Higher Education. Additionally, he serves as a TPC member of highly reputable IEEE conferences such as GLOBECOM, ICC, LCN, VTC-Fall, PIMRC, ISWCS, ATC, ICT, and IAEAC. He supervised/co-supervised and examined at least 100 masters’ theses in most of Jordanian universities besides PhD dissertations in foreign counties. At the end, he is engaged in research mainly on Internet of things, industrial smart cities software-defined networks, vehicular networks, flying ad-hoc networks, Fog networking, full duplex cognitive radio networks, queuing systems and networks, multimedia transmission, channel coding, steganography and watermarking, as well as innovative and interactive learning environments.