This paper introduces ROBUST-6G, a European research initiative aimed at designing a comprehensive security platform for future 6G networks. As 6G moves toward deeply integrated digital: physical systems, the project focuses on building security mechanisms that are data-driven, automated, trustworthy, privacy-preserving, and energy-efficient.
At the core of the ROBUST-6G vision is a holistic end-to-end security architecture that brings together diverse components of the network—from the radio layer to cloud-edge infrastructures under a unified framework. As illustrated in the high-level architecture diagram on page 2 (Figure 1), the platform supports secure interactions between vertical industries and communication service providers through a Unified Exposure Framework, enabling controlled access to security and management services.
The project places strong emphasis on trustworthy and sustainable AI/ML, recognizing that future networks will rely heavily on distributed intelligence. The paper outlines several key research directions: privacy-preserving techniques for federated learning; intrusion detection in decentralized learning systems; XAI-enabled detection of poisoning and adversarial attacks; and energy-efficient, scalable learning frameworks suitable for multi-tenant 6G environments. These efforts aim to ensure that AI models used within the network remain transparent, robust, fair, and secure. Another major pillar is zero-touch security management, where AI-driven closed loops observe the network, analyze risks, make decisions, and trigger corrective actions with minimal human intervention. The closed-loop workflow shown in Figure 3 (page 4) highlights how monitoring, decision agents, orchestrators, and actuators work together to maintain system stability and security in dynamic 6G environments. Physical layer security (PLS) also plays a central role. The paper describes how 6G radio capabilities such as ultra-massive MIMO, beamforming, distributed MIMO, and RIS-enabled channel engineering can be combined with AI tools for detecting jamming, spoofing, or authentication attacks.
Overall, the ROBUST-6G project aims to create a future in which 6G networks are not only fast and intelligent but also secure, privacy-aware, transparent, resilient, and sustainable. The work provides a foundation for building trustworthy autonomous networks capable of supporting the demanding services of the 2030s and beyond.
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