Secure Semantic Communication over Wiretap Channel

TL;DR

This paper explores the limits of secure semantic communication over wiretap channels, establishing theoretical bounds and analyzing Gaussian scenarios to enhance understanding of security in semantic data transmission.

Contribution

It characterizes information-theoretic limits for secure semantic communication and provides bounds on rate-distortion-equivocation, including Gaussian case analysis.

Findings

Inner and outer bounds on rate-distortion-equivocation region

Numerical evaluations for Gaussian source and channel

Enhanced understanding of security constraints in semantic communication

Abstract

Semantic communication is a new paradigm for information transmission that integrates the essential meaning (semantics) of the message into the communication process. However, like in classic wireless communications, the open nature of wireless channels poses security risks for semantic communications. In this paper, we characterize information-theoretic limits for the secure transmission of a semantic source over a wiretap channel. Under separate secrecy and distortion constrains for semantics and observed data, we present general inner and outer bounds on the rate-distortion-equivocation region. We also reduce the general region to the case of Gaussian source and Gaussian wiretap channel and provide numerical evaluations.