6G networks - yet another critical infrastructure: opportunities, threats and new security features

Bio

After receiving his master degree in Computer Science and Technology from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, Karl Andersson started his professional career as a consultant, project manager, business developer, and branch manager within the Capgemini Group. Returning to academia as a PhD Student he obtained his PhD degree after defending his thesis "On Access Network Selection Models and Mobility Support in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks". After visiting Columbia University in the City of New York as a postdoctoral researcher and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo, Japan as a JSPS Fellow, Karl is today Professor and Head of Subject, Cyber Security at Luleå University of Technology (LTU), Skellefteå, Sweden. During 2017-2023, Karl was leading Centre for Distance-spanning Technology at LTU specialising in research centred around fifth generation mobile networks (5G), Internet of Things (IoT), and datacenters. Moreover, since 1 January 2022, Karl is Dean for Faculty of Science and Technology at Luleå University of Technology.

Karl is a senior member of the IEEE and a senior member of ACM. He has served as reviewer for a number of journals including IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, IEEE Transactions on Computers, IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, Computer Networks, Wireless Personal Communications, Wireless Networks, Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, Journal of Wireless Mobile Networks, Ubiquitous Computing, and Dependable Applications, International Journal of Ad Hoc and Ubiquitous Computing, and ETRI Journal. Furthermore, he has served as reviewer for many conferences including ICC, Globecom, VTC, WCNC, WiMob, IWCMC, and NTMS. Also, he is serving on a number of TPCs and the editorial boards of Journal of Internet Services and Information Security and Journal of Wireless Mobile Networks, Ubiquitous Computing, and Dependable Applications. During 2020 and 2021, Karl was general chair for IEEE Conference on Local Computer Networks (LCN).

Abstract

With the upcoming shift from 5G to 6G networks, trustworthiness will be an important cornerstone delivering trusted communication and computing for industry and society relying on critical information. This transition from secure communication to trustworthy platforms—expanding the scope from protecting data to ensuring the end-to-end service delivery in a wide range of relevant scenarios - will pave the way for wireless networks increasingly becoming critical components of society. Resilience and security capabilities are crucial as networks must be able to provide service when part of the infrastructure is disabled due to natural disasters, local disturbances, or societal breakdowns, and they must offer robust resistance against deliberate malicious attacks. 6G networks will be able to leverage new confidential computing technologies, improve service availability, and provide enhanced security identities and protocols with end-to-end assurance.