Future 6G networks should make data privacy a top priority. INESC TEC is part of PRIVATEER, a European project that aims to create a robust and decentralised AI-based security analysis for 6G networks. “Privacy” is the key word.
Decentralised, globally connected and composed of heterogeneous environments: these are some of the expected features of a 6G network. However, in this environment, maintaining privacy is a “broad-spectrum issue that is hard to mitigate”. This is where the European project PRIVATEER comes into play. The kick-off event took place in February, in Athens, with the meeting that brought together the project’s partners – one of them is INESC TEC.
What is the main goal of the project? António Pinto, researcher at INESC TEC, summarised the objectives of PRIVATEER: “to develop cybersecurity and privacy enabling technologies that may be adopted in future 6G networks. If we succeed, we will all be better protected in terms of our privacy and cybersecurity”.
The Institute’s mission in this consortium lies on “the issue of sharing information from cyberattacks with requirements of confidentiality, privacy and, eventually, anonymity”. Moreover, it is easily acknowledged that the adoption of cyberattack information-sharing mechanisms could facilitate the protection of other targets in the future. However, how much information should we share? And with whom? How often? “All these issues emerge when considering the privacy of users”, explained António Pinto. The concept of zero trust networks – based on the motto “never trust, always check” – could be a valid path, “but implementing it in potential 6G networks scenarios will be a difficult task”.
One of PRIVATEER’s objectives is to enable robust and decentralised security analysis based on Artificial Intelligence for 6G networks, thus preserving privacy. “We want to ensure privacy for users, but also for other stakeholders. I would say that, as far as privacy is concerned, there is much – if not everything – to be done “, mentioned the professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto.
The question of “intrusive security”
The European project also focuses on “intrusive security”, which cannot “be considered acceptable”. This concept “is strongly related to privacy”. As an example, consider the use of end-to-end encryption in the mobile messaging apps we use daily: the premise here is that, in order to benefit from more global security, legal and security entities must be able to meddle in our WhatsApp or Messenger chats. “This would mean ending the use of end-to-end encryption, with a clear impact on our privacy for the sake of more global security”, added António Pinto.
Can this scenario occur in 6G communication networks? That’s the main concern. “Considering a broader scenario, such as 6G, the impact on privacy may be even worse; in addition to the messages exchanged, others may have access to information about location, applications used, services requested, personal data, etc. Therefore, privacy should be a priority when reflecting on future 6G networks,”, explained the INESC TEC researcher.
António Pinto also mentioned that current security needs contrast with the information needed to automate protection processes: “protection requires monitoring, but the latter requires obtaining (possibly) too much user-behaviour information”.
PRIVATEER, funded by the Horizon Europe programme under the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU), has an estimated duration of 36 months and an approximate budget of €5M.
INESC TEC is not the only Portuguese organisation in the consortium – the Polytechnic Institute of Porto is also a partner of this endeavour, that brings together 13 entities.
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