FutureG Wireless Security: Challenges and Opportunities

Yanchao Zhang Professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU). April 10th 10-11 WWH335

As wireless networks evolve toward FutureG—encompassing 6G and beyond—they
promise transformative capabilities through ultra-high-speed connectivity, ultra-dense
deployments, AI-native architectures, and the convergence of sensing, communication,
and computation. These advancements are expected to enable a wide range of
mission-critical applications across sectors such as defense, industry, public safety,
energy, transportation, and healthcare. However, this technological evolution also
introduces a significantly expanded and complex attack surface, posing unprecedented
challenges to ensuring security, privacy, and trustworthiness in future wireless systems.
In this talk, I will explore the emerging landscape of AI-empowered FutureG wireless
security, highlighting both foundational research challenges and strategic opportunities. I will present an overview of our recent and ongoing research efforts and share insights
into our vision for building secure-by-design FutureG wireless systems that are resilient
and adaptable to evolving cyber and physical threats across diverse application
domains. To ground the discussion, I will conclude with a case study demonstrating how
low-cost COTS RFID tags and AI-driven multimodal sensing can be leveraged to
develop novel security mechanisms, including location-based access control and usable
authentication protocols for pervasive and resource-constrained wireless environments.

Yanchao Zhang received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the
University of Florida in 2006. He is currently a Full Professor in the School of Electrical,
Computer and Energy Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU). His research
focuses on the fundamental and experimental aspects of security and privacy in
networked systems, with particular emphasis on FutureG wireless and sensing systems,
trustworthy wireless AI, dynamic spectrum access, autonomous systems, and
immersive technologies in critical application domains. Dr. Zhang is a recipient of the
NSF CAREER Award and an IEEE Fellow, recognized for his contributions to wireless
and mobile security. He has held numerous leadership roles in the research community,
including serving as Technical Program Co-Chair for IEEE INFOCOM 2023 and
organizing multiple workshops for the National Science Foundation and the Army
Research Office. He currently serves as Principal Investigator and Director of the DoD
Center of Excellence in Future Generation Wireless Technology, a $10 million research
initiative hosted at ASU aimed at advancing secure, cutting-edge wireless technologies
for defense and critical infrastructure applications.