Implementation of a Modular Coding Scheme for Secure Communication

Abstract

We experimentally verify the information-theoretic security of a seeded modular code for the AWGN wiretap channel consisting of a security layer, an error-correction layer and a modulation layer. The security layer is given by a universal family of hash functions. In the error-correction layer and the modulation layer we use polar codes and QAM, respectively. The eavesdropper uses the maximum likelihood (ML) test as an attack strategy. We analyze the security in different communication scenarios using simulations. We show that for small blocklengths the advantage (security measure) at the eavesdropper in the corresponding scenario can be close to 0 for suitable code parameters. Additional insights gathered from the simulation results include the impact of code parameters and seed choice on security.