Call for Papers

Conventional security architectures and models are considered a single network architecture solution, where devices authenticated within the network are assumed to be implicitly trusted. Such a conventional solution assumes that once devices have been authenticated within the network, are free to access, move, or exfiltrate data. This may introduce security threats and attacks. Although such an approach may be adopted in certain network scenarios, it definitely cannot be applied to NGNs. Zero-Trust security was introduced to overcome these obstacles, in which it does not rely on entry-point authentication, but rather uses context-aware, dynamic, and intelligent authentication schemes to detect and prevent security threats and attacks. Given that zero-trust security is a new security paradigm, little work has been done in this area to secure NGNs using zero-trust models. Zero-trust security models will highly benefit from two elements: threat intelligence and decentralized authentication. Continuous and dynamic trust evaluation is needed to attain high levels of access control in NGN. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning (DL) will grant tremendous capabilities for zero-trust architectures to maintain high levels of intrusion detection and prevention. Moreover, through decentralized authentication methods like blockchain, data will both be stored and shared safely.

This Special Issue aims to foster original research and innovative solutions on the above subject to tackle the challenging issues related to security and trust in NGNs. We welcome the dissemination of high-quality research on emerging ideas, approaches, theories, frameworks, and practices of zero-trust in NGNs. Researchers, developers, and industry experts are welcome to submit their work that may focus on fundamental methodological studies or use cases and application demonstrations.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Utilizing zero-trust to secure wireless communication and networks.
• Securing critical infrastructure communication with zero-trust.
• Applying zero-trust for aerial communication and network security.
• Federated Deep Learning-based zero-trust models.
• Distributed and decentralized zero-trust architectures and frameworks for NGN.
• Blockchain-enabled zero-trust architectures and frameworks for NGN.
• Access management and identity authentication using zero-trust in NGN.
• Testing and evaluating zero-trust security in networks.
• Zero-trust for 6G applications and services.
• Security of virtual Environments (e.g., Metaverse) in 6G.
• Conflict detection using AI/ML embedding/representation models.
• Access management for AI/ML model life cycle management in 6G networks.
• Integration of Zero-trust at the physical, data link, and network layers of the OSI model.

Submission Guidelines

Prospective authors should submit their manuscripts following the IEEE JSAC guidelines. Authors should submit a PDF version of their complete manuscript to EDAS.

Important Dates

Manuscripts Due: 31 May 2024
Acceptance Notification: 30 August 2024
Final Manuscripts Due: 15 October 2024
Publications: First Quarter 2025

Guest Editors

Moayad Aloqaily
MBZUAI, UAE

Qian Zhang
HKUST, China

Martin Andreoni
TII, UAE

Michele Nogueira
FUMG, Brazil

Xiaojiang Du
SIT, USA

Chadi Khirallah
Samsung, UK

Ang Chen
Rice University, USA