Physical Layer Security in Vehicular Networks with Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

TL;DR

This paper explores how reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) can enhance physical layer security in vehicular networks by analyzing two system models with RIS-based components and evaluating their secrecy capacity through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces the application of RIS technology to improve physical layer security in vehicular networks, analyzing two specific system models with different RIS deployments.

Findings

Secrecy capacity depends on RIS location and number of RIS cells.

System performance is influenced by source power and eavesdropper distance.

RIS deployment can significantly enhance security in vehicular communications.

Abstract

This paper studies the physical layer security (PLS) of a vehicular network employing a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS). RIS technologies are emerging as an important paradigm for the realisation of smart radio environments, where large numbers of small, low-cost and passive elements, reflect the incident signal with an adjustable phase shift without requiring a dedicated energy source. Inspired by the promising potential of RIS-based transmission, we investigate two vehicular network system models: One with vehicle-to-vehicle communication with the source employing a RIS-based access point, and the other model in the form of a vehicular adhoc network (VANET), with a RIS-based relay deployed on a building. Both models assume the presence of an eavesdropper, to investigate the average secrecy capacity of the considered systems. Monte-Carlo simulations are provided throughout to validate the results. The results show that performance of the system in terms of the secrecy capacity is affected by the location of the RIS-relay and the number of RIS cells. The effect of other system parameters such as source power and eavesdropper distances are also studied.