Securing Underwater Wireless Communication with Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum

The significance of subsea communication has increased substantially, with growing interest in replacing wired communication with wireless alternatives. However, subsea communication faces several challenges due to the harsh environment, including high noise, significant multipath propagation, signal attenuation, salinity, and temperature variations. Additionally, it is vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Ensuring secure and reliable communication for authorized users remains a significant challenge, requiring an integrated approach that balances efficiency, stability, and security considerations. Current efforts primarily focus on designing multimodal wireless communication systems, but integrating robust security measures into subsea wireless infrastructure is challenging due to its inherently open nature and susceptibility to external interference. Technical advancements are necessary to strengthen the security of subsea wireless communication while managing power loss effectively. To address these challenges, we propose a mechanism that implements a pre-determined frequency hopping schedule, enhancing security and improving reliability through periodic changes in transmission frequency. The hopping sequence is shared in advance among authorized parties. While the current system does not adapt to real-time threats, future work could explore dynamic adjustments in response to detected threats or unauthorized access attempts.