Physical layer security in light-fidelity systems

Abstract

<jats:p>Light-fidelity (LiFi) is a light-based wireless communication technology which can complement radio-frequency (RF) communication technologies for indoor applications. Although LiFi signals are spatially more contained than RF signals, the broadcasting nature of LiFi also makes it susceptible to eavesdropping. Therefore, it is important to secure the transmitted data against potential eavesdroppers. In this paper, an overview of the recent developments pertaining to LiFi physical layer security (PLS) is provided, and the main differences between LiFi PLS and RF PLS are explained. LiFi achievable secrecy rates and upper bounds are then investigated under practical channel models and transmission schemes. Beamforming and jamming, which received significant research attention recently as a means to achieve PLS in LiFi, are also investigated under indoor illumination constraints. Finally, future research directions of interest in LiFi PLS are identified and discussed.</jats:p> <jats:p>This article is part of the theme issue ‘Optical wireless communication’.</jats:p>

Optical wireless communication

“…One of the unique properties of OWC is its capability to achieve high physical layer security due to the ability to easily contain light waves spatially. Lampe et al [36] have led the analysis of the secrecy capacity of OWC systems. We are therefore pleased that this group has shared their latest research findings in this theme issue.…”

Lifi : Light Fidelity in the School Library

“…Light Fidelity or commonly called Li-Fi is a technology for wireless communication between devices using light to transmit data at high speed [4,5,6]. Currently only LED lights that can be used for the transmission of visible light.…”

“…Until now, LiFi technology has not yet reached the public [1,17,20,21] due to the fact that technology infrastructure has not been fully realized in remote areas in Indonesia [22,23]. Some of the current realization that there is a visible light communication or VLC (Visible Light Communication) with the use of LEDs as the sender [2,4,5,17] and the realization of a prototype form still needs to be developed [3,18,19]. While Wi-Fi is based on the availability of microwave signals, Li-Fi can hypothetically turn off any light to a network connection [20. Li-Fi operates at a much higher frequency than Wi-Fi.…”

Secure Visible Light Communications via Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces

“…During the past few years, physical-layer security (PLS) techniques are introduced to VLC networks in an effort to enhance the overall system security by complementing existing upper-layer encryption security techniques. For the single-input-single-output (SISO) VLC system, upper and lower bounds on secrecy capacity are derived in [3]- [5]. Based on Polar Codes, a physical-layer secure coding scheme is proposed to enhance the secrecy performance of SISO VLC system [6].…”