Programmable, Modular and Disaggregated Security Plane for 6G Ecosystems

The evolution torwards 6G communications brings forth new security and privacy challenges, including, but not, limited to protecting sensitive user data, securing ultra-low latency communication, safeguarding against emerging cyber threats, and ensuring the integrity of the network infrastructure. MARE will contribute to create a reliable 6G services provisioning platform through the definition of a novel security plane built on a well-defined set of open and programmable security functions, delivered as enablers to the 6G architecture, offering transparent, multi-domain/stakeholder security and privacy provisioning, aimed at proactively proposing and assessing candidate strategies to automatically handle attacks and threats in 6G networks. More specifically, MARE innovations pivot on two main contributions: 1. A set of enriched security functions built upon basic primitives, referred to as DOTs, that are composed into programmable security services to maximize security guarantees (Security Plane). 2. A smart “pre-assessment” environment, including simulation, emulation (with NDT) and real infrastructure for systems, users, etc., where security related services and functions are analyzed. In addition, to optimise the scope and coverage of its security enablers, MARE will study and implement a systematic Attacks Modeling Reference Framework for the identification and categorization of the evolving 6G ecosystem threat landscape. The project will demonstrate and validate the efficiency of its novel security plane in 11 PoC setups, corresponding to different 6G threats and security challenges. The MARE solution will be built on -and will be totally compliant with- the architectural concepts for 6G, as defined by European and International initiatives, such as the Hexa-X I/II flagship projects.