Work

On the Security of Cell-Free Massive MIMO Networks

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The rapid growth of wireless devices, the expansion of the Internet of Things, and the aggregate demand for Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency communications (URLLC) are driving the improvement of next-generation wireless systems. One promising emerging technology in this area is cell-free massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (maMIMO) networks. The distributed nature of Access Points presents unique security challenges that must be addressed to unlock their full potential. This paper studies the key security concerns in Cell Free Massive MIMO (CFMM) networks, including eavesdropping, Denial-of-Service attacks, jamming, pilot contamination, and methods for enhancing Physical Layer Security (PLS). We also provide an overview of security solutions specifically designed for CFMM networks and introduce a case study of a Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS)-aided secure scheme that jointly optimizes the RIS phase shifts with the artificial noise (AN) covariance under power constraints. The non-convex optimization problem is solved via the block coordinate descent (BCD) alternating optimization scheme. The combined RIS, AN, and beamforming configuration achieves a balanced trade-off between security and energy performance, resulting in moderate improvements over the individual schemes.

Source: Sensors

DOI: 10.3390/s26020353

Authors: Hanaa Mohammed, Roayat I. Abdelfatah, Nancy Alshaer, Mohamed E. Nasr, Asmaa M. Saafan

Institutions: Tanta University, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, National Telecommunications Institute

Language: English

Topic: Wireless Communication Security Techniques

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137