And with the participation of the IMDEA Networks Institute, it is working on technological solutions to ensure that all communications on a 6G network, including this integrated detection capability, are secure and ethical. To achieve this, it will integrate a native security layer combined with artificial intelligence for cybersecurity and post-quantum cryptography techniques.
The main objective of this project is to design 6G networks that are secure, intelligent, and respectful of citizens' privacy from the outset, not as an added feature. One of the most innovative topics they are addressing, according to the researchers, is related to ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communications) technologies, the integrated sensing capabilities that 6G will have. The idea is that 6G antennas will not only transmit data (as they do today) but will also be able to "see" their surroundings, detect movement, locate people, and monitor their status. It's like equipping the network with a kind of radar. UC3M and the Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (CNIT) will work together on this project.
“This opens up enormous possibilities, such as monitoring a patient at home without them wearing any sensors. But it also raises serious risks: who controls that information? Can the network 'spy' on us? We are working precisely on how to make this detection capability secure and only accessible to those who have permission to use it, and even how to make users invisible,” explains Pablo Serrano, project coordinator and professor in the Department of Telematics Engineering at UC3M.
AI, quantum security, and privacy by design.
To achieve this, they focus on three major innovative technological pillars. First, preventive artificial intelligence for cybersecurity. The project develops systems capable of anticipating attacks before they occur, instead of simply reacting after something has already happened. It uses agents based on large language models (the type of technology behind systems like ChatGPT) that monitor the network in real time and autonomously detect suspicious behavior. In short, moving from reactive to proactive security.
The second line of work is quantum security. Quantum computers, when fully developed, will be able to break the encryption systems that currently protect our communications. Therefore, PAISES-6G is already working on post-quantum cryptography and quantum key distribution solutions to shield future networks from these threats.
Third, the project develops mechanisms that allow operators, companies, and users to securely share data, even when they don't fully trust each other. In other words, it incorporates privacy into the very design of the networks. With 6G, enormous amounts of sensitive information will be managed (including ISAC), so this project is developing techniques to enable different stakeholders to collaborate and share data without anyone seeing what they shouldn't, such as federated learning and differential privacy. "This opens the door to new business models and greater competition and innovation in the telecommunications ecosystem," says Pablo Serrano.
"In a historical period of increasing geopolitical tensions, PAISES-6G has the potential to develop new solutions that help secure telecommunications within the European and global spheres, while protecting data stakeholders—that is, citizens—from the misuse of emerging technologies," says Dr. Marco Fiore, principal investigator of the project at the IMDEA Networks Institute.
Security for the Networks of the Future:
The PAISES-6G project (Pioneering AI-Enhanced Secure 6G Services Framework) is funded with €8 million by the European Union under the Horizon Europe program (GA101292896) and brings together 18 organizations from 9 countries: universities, research centers, large technology companies and telecommunications operators, as well as small specialized businesses. Spain stands out as the country with the greatest presence within the consortium, boasting four strategic partners: UC3M itself, Telefónica Innovación Digital, the Ikerlan technology center, and IMDEA Networks. Other project members include Telecom Italia, NEC Laboratories Europe (Germany), along with institutions such as CNIT (Italy), the Kyiv Aviation Institute (Ukraine), and a dozen other European partners.
“The security of future networks cannot be built from a single laboratory or a single country. You need the operators who deploy the networks, the equipment manufacturers, the experts in quantum cryptography, the privacy specialists, and the legal experts who understand and will be able to develop the new European regulations on the ethical and legal aspects of the use of communications networks,” concludes Pablo Serrano.
The project's work plan includes the deployment and validation of the first prototypes in real-world laboratory environments during the second year, notably at the NEXTONIC laboratory in Leganés and the Gotham laboratory in the Basque Country. Ultimately, the project aims to ensure the real-world impact of its research on society. To prevent the solutions from remaining purely theoretical, the partners will transfer the results directly to international standardization bodies (3GPP and ETSI), ensuring that the security model designed at UC3M becomes part of the definitive global 6G telecommunications standard.
