On the Security of Non-Terrestrial Networks

6G networks are expected to be a combination of the terrestrial network and the non-terrestrial network (NTN). Elements of NTN will be base stations with 3D mobility, such as low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, unmanned autonomous vehicles (UAVs), and high altitude platform station (HAPS) systems. The presence of such NTN elements introduces new features in terms of coverage, computation, localization, and sensing. However, their presence also makes 6G networks vulnerable to new security threats, especially in the physical layer (PHY). After detailing the NTN evolution, this talk focuses on two different threats. The first threat type emerges from the communication attacks that are expected to increase with the presence of wireless backhaul connectivity. The second threat type is on the localization systems, especially for NTN elements, as the location information of a LEO satellite, a UAV, or a HAPS is an essential network characteristic that will affect the overall network performance. The talk will conclude with the importance of physical layer security for NTNs, an overview of the open issues, and the future research directions.