🤖 AI Summary
Next-generation tactical networks face a fundamental trilemma under global passive adversaries: strong anonymity, strict isochronicity, and low bandwidth overhead are mutually incompatible. To resolve this, we propose a cross-layer anonymous communication framework that jointly integrates Lyapunov drift-penalty control, robust discrete-time control barrier functions (RaCBFs), and convex sidelobe time-varying modulation (SLTM). Our approach leverages rapid entropy injection via physical-layer antenna sidelobes to achieve near-isochronous, low-overhead anonymous transmission. Crucially, we introduce physical-layer equivalence into anonymity theory—formally proving that entropy growth drives both delay and dummy-packet overhead asymptotically to zero. FPGA-based prototyping demonstrates a 40% increase in anonymity set size, deterministic jitter <30 ms (100% compliance), only a 5% throughput reduction, and significantly lower interception probability compared to state-of-the-art LPI/LPD schemes.
📝 Abstract
Next-generation tactical networks face a critical Anonymity Trilemma: it is impossible to simultaneously achieve strong anonymity, low latency (isochrony), and low bandwidth overhead under a global passive adversary. CIDP breaks this deadlock by injecting physical-layer entropy via rapid antenna sidelobe modulation, enabling near-isochronous, low-overhead anonymous communication. CIDP jointly designs: (a) a Lyapunov drift-plus-penalty network controller that stabilizes queues and maximizes entropy injection; (b) a robust discrete-time Control Barrier Function (RaCBF) filter that provably enforces deterministic jitter bounds for real-time flows despite uncertainty; and (c) a convex Sidelobe Time Modulation (SLTM) optimization that spreads signals into the antenna null-space to mask transmissions. We explicitly augment the classical anonymity bound with a physical-layer equivocation term, showing that rapidly changing sidelobes contribute additional secrecy. Consequently, as the injected physical entropy grows, both latency and dummy overhead can approach zero for a fixed anonymity target. We provide full theoretical proofs of queue stability, barrier-set invariance, and SLTM convexity. Moreover, we quantitatively benchmark our SLTM design against recent LPI/LPD schemes, demonstrating significantly lower intercept probability for comparable overhead. High-fidelity MATLAB/NS-3 simulations and an FPGA prototype validate CIDP: results show approximately 40% larger anonymity sets and 100% compliance with sub-30 ms jitter (compared to a Tor-like baseline), with only about 5% throughput loss. We also outline a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) and FOCI-compliant supply-chain strategy. CIDP is the first architecture that simultaneously addresses strong anonymity, strict isochrony, and spectral efficiency with provable guarantees, making it highly relevant for sovereign JADC2 deployments.