ASPECTS: Agile spectrum security

Cognitive Radio (CR) promises to provide better spectrum utilization and increase the availability of (on demand) broadband access to the Network of the Future. CR relies on devices that can sense their (radio) environment, understand it, and model it, so that they can exploit the spectrum through appropriate transmission parameters (in the space, time, and frequency domains) that do not interfere with legacy and/or licensed devices using the same spectrum in the same general area. According to the CR paradigm, the use of the spectrum that is not used by primary (licensed) users is opportunistic. Secondary users sense the spectrum and decide to use it on their own, possibly following additional rules and protocols. Because multiple such CR devices (secondary users) can find themselves in the same area and compete for the same spectrum, the question that arises is whether these devices behave "fairly" and appropriately. The opportunities are there for competing CR devices to try to grab more resources through the spreading of misinformation and "impersonation" of licensed devices.