Analyzing Sustainable Security for 6G Networks

Recently, the development of 6G technology has been increasingly associated with sustainability, which is considered one of the key criteria for the success of next-generation 6G communication networks. The 6G ecosystem is expected to be more complex and vulnerable due to the both existing as well as emerging security threats. 6G-enabled verticals will require long-lasting, robust, resilient, energy-efficient, and holistic sustainable security solutions. However, sustainability in the context of 6G security remains a relatively less explored area in the literature. This work provides an initial contribution towards defining the concept of 6G security and sustainability from two major perspectives, i.e., sustainable security for 6G and security for sustainable 6G. Furthermore, the paper analyzes 6G security from five main sustainability aspects: environmental, economic, social, technological, and legal, and examines various factors and key performance indicators (KPIs) critical to the design of green 6G security.