Image: Ignacio Cascudo from the IMDEA Software Institute show more
Photo credit: IMDEA Software Institute
The IMDEA Software Institute participates in the European CONFIDENTIAL6G project, which aims, together with other actors, to increase the level of security and reliability of the network in order to optimize its use in artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
6G technology will be the successor to 5G as the sixth generation of mobile connectivity. Although still in the early stages of development, it is expected to further reduce latency in connections between devices and significantly increase transfer speeds. For this reason, the 6G network will be particularly useful for the IoT, enabling deep integration of new AI tools, new hardware components and accelerators, computing and network functions, and peripheral nodes. In this regard, 6G technology infrastructures must, among other things, ensure the reliability, trustworthiness and resilience of a globally connected continuum of heterogeneous environments supported by the convergence of networks and computing systems to enable new future digital services (IoT) that can potentially revolutionize many Industry sectors.
The significant increase in network coverage and heterogeneity raises concerns that the security and privacy of 6G could be worse than previous generations. Current security is not designed to serve a large number of heterogeneous, highly mobile and connected devices. So, “If we want these networks to improve our transportation, provide personalized updates to our devices, optimize energy use in homes, offices and even cities, and make healthcare more efficient, we need to make sure everything works the way it’s supposed to work,” says Ignacio Cascudo, researcher at the IMDEA Software Institute.
The project
“Confidential Computing and Privacy-preserving Technologies for 6G (CONFIDENTIAL6G) starts with a total budget of more than 5.2 million euros, of which almost 5 million euros come from European funds*.
A total of 13 companies from 9 countries form the project consortium, which is coordinated by the Greek company Wings ICT Solutions. The Spanish participation consists of the IMDEA Software Institute and Telefónica.
The CONFIDENTIAL6G project aims to preserve the privacy and security of sensitive data by focusing on protecting data in use, in transit and at the edge. Data in use is an unsolved problem whose solution is beginning to emerge with Confidential Computing. Second, CONFIDENTIAL6G will enhance data in transit by protecting communications with post-quantum cryptography, blockchain technologies, and secure access control and data traceability platforms. Finally, the project will also impact edge data by working to specify the most appropriate post-quantum cryptographic approach to serve constrained edge and IoT devices.
The IMDEA Software Institute will contribute to this project with the development of data processing technologies that respect privacy, such as B. secure multi-party computation, zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption.
*”This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Digital, Industry and Space program (Grant Agreement No. 101096435).”
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of the press releases published on EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of information about the EurekAlert system.
