Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Small: Towards Robust, Scalable, and Resilient Radio Fingerprinting

Radio fingerprinting can distinguish wireless devices using radio frequency signals, as unique device hardware imperfections are carried in such signals. Radio fingerprinting is a physical-layer authentication technique and plays a critical role in identifying individual devices (e.g., IoT devices) and mission-critical targets (e.g., Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). This project develops new methods to promote the robustness, scalability, and resilience of radio fingerprinting by synergizing deep learning and signal processing. This project addresses three research questions, specifically (1) how to improve the robustness of radio fingerprinting against temporal variations of wireless channels; (2) how to mitigate nonlinear receiver hardware imperfections; and (3) how to improve the resilience of radio fingerprinting against white-box attackers. The research outcomes of this project will be disseminated through publications and new course modules and projects. These will promote cybersecurity workforce development as well as broaden the participation of students from underrepresented groups in computing. This project is jointly funded by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program, and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.