Leveraging AES Padding: dBs for Nothing and FEC for Free in IoT Systems

TL;DR

This paper proposes a dual-functional approach that repurposes AES padding for error correction in IoT systems, integrating GRAND decoding to improve reliability with minimal power overhead.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method that combines encryption and error correction by utilizing AES padding bits, enhancing IoT communication reliability without significant power increase.

Findings

Achieves over 3 dB gain in Block Error Rate (BLER)

Minimal power overhead of less than 15% at the receiver

Enhances reliability in noisy IoT environments

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a significant advancement in digital technology, with its rapidly growing network of interconnected devices. This expansion, however, brings forth critical challenges in data security and reliability, especially under the threat of increasing cyber vulnerabilities. Addressing the security concerns, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is commonly employed for secure encryption in IoT systems. Our study explores an innovative use of AES, by repurposing AES padding bits for error correction and thus introducing a dual-functional method that seamlessly integrates error-correcting capabilities into the standard encryption process. The integration of the state-of-the-art Guessing Random Additive Noise Decoder (GRAND) in the receiver's architecture facilitates the joint decoding and decryption process. This strategic approach not only preserves the existing structure of the transmitter but also significantly enhances communication reliability in noisy environments, achieving a notable over 3 dB gain in Block Error Rate (BLER). Remarkably, this enhanced performance comes with a minimal power overhead at the receiver - less than 15% compared to the traditional decryption-only process, underscoring the efficiency of our hardware design for IoT applications. This paper discusses a comprehensive analysis of our approach, particularly in energy efficiency and system performance, presenting a novel and practical solution for reliable IoT communications.