Cell-free Massive MIMO Networks: Optimal Power Control against Active Eavesdropping

TL;DR

This paper investigates the security of cell-free massive MIMO networks against pilot spoofing attacks, proposing detection methods and optimal power control algorithms to enhance security and efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces a detection method for active eavesdropping and develops path-following algorithms for optimal power control to maximize secrecy rates.

Findings

Detection method effectively identifies pilot spoofing attacks.

Path-following algorithms optimize power allocation for security.

Closed-form solutions are available under equip-power allocation.

Abstract

This paper studies the security aspect of a recently introduced network ("cell-free massive MIMO") under a pilot spoofing attack. Firstly, a simple method to recognize the presence of this type of an active eavesdropping attack to a particular user is shown. In order to deal with this attack, we consider the problem of maximizing the achievable data rate of the attacked user or its achievable secrecy rate. The corresponding problems of minimizing the consumption power subject to security constraints are also considered in parallel. Path-following algorithms are developed to solve the posed optimization problems under different power allocation to access points (APs). Under equip-power allocation to APs, these optimization problems admit closed-form solutions. Numerical results show their efficiencies.