Beyond Crypto: Physical-Layer Security for Internet of Things Devices

The boom of connected Internet of Things (IoT) nodes and ubiquity of wireless communications are projected to increase wireless data traffic by several orders of magnitude in the near future. While these future scalable networks support increasing numbers of wireless devices utilizing the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum, ensuring the security of wireless communications and sensing is also a critical requirement. Wirelessly connected sensor nodes transmit and collect private and sensitive data, e.g., health-related or financial information, that must be communicated securely over the air.