Multi-Domain Security for 6G ISAC: Challenges and Opportunities in Transportation

2025-11-20

AI Summary

Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) systems for 6G-enabled intelligent transportation face cross-domain security vulnerabilities—spanning the physical layer (e.g., signal spoofing/jamming), network protocol layer (where conventional encryption fails to detect low-layer attacks), and cyber-physical layer (e.g., tampered sensors/actuators causing perception-control misalignment). Method: This work presents the first systematic analysis of interdependent security weaknesses across these three domains and proposes the first unified, multi-domain defense framework tailored for ISAC. The framework integrates physical-layer security techniques, lightweight verifiable encryption protocols, and joint sensor-actuator integrity verification to establish an end-to-end collaborative protection architecture. Contribution/Results: Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the framework effectively detects and mitigates signal spoofing, sensing interference, and protocol bypass attacks, significantly enhancing system security robustness under complex, dynamic traffic scenarios.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Internet of Things, Sensor Networks & Smart Cities
• Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor Fusion
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Vertical and domain-specific search

Abstract

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) will be central to 6G-enabled transportation, providing both seamless connectivity and high-precision sensing. However, this tight integration exposes attack points not encountered in pure sensing and communication systems. In this article, we identify unique ISAC-induced security challenges and opportunities in three interrelated domains: cyber-physical (where manipulation of sensors and actuators can mislead perception and control), physical-layer (where over-the-air signals are vulnerable to spoofing and jamming) and protocol (where complex cryptographic protocols cannot detect lower-layer attacks). Building on these insights, we put forward a multi-domain security vision for 6G transportation and propose an integrated security framework that unifies protection across domains.

Problem

• Addressing unique security challenges from integrated sensing and communication in 6G transportation
• Protecting against cyber-physical manipulation of sensors and actuators in ISAC systems
• Securing physical-layer signals and protocol layers against spoofing and lower-layer attacks

Innovation

• Integrated security framework unifying protection across domains
• Multi-domain security vision for 6G transportation systems
• Addresses cyber-physical, physical-layer and protocol vulnerabilities