As part of the ENSURE-6G initiative, I undertook a secondment at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ), Sri Lanka, representing University College Dublin. This visit formed part of the MSCA Staff Exchange programme, which brings together international partners to address emerging challenges in secure and trustworthy 6G systems.
Examining the State of the Art in AI-Driven 6G Security
A primary focus of my secondment was to investigate the latest advancements in security challenges related to ML/AI-enabled 6G networks. As 6G progresses towards AI-native architectures, where intelligence is distributed across cloud, edge, and device tiers, the attack surface expands and becomes increasingly complex. Collaborative discussions at USJ examined key challenges such as:
- Vulnerabilities in distributed and federated learning environments
- Model integrity threats, including poisoning and evasion attacks
- Trust, transparency, and explainability in autonomous decision-making
- Privacy risks in large-scale, data-driven optimisation
These discussions were grounded not only in theory, but also in the realities of deployment across diverse and resource-variable environments.
Contributing to ENSURE-6G Research Outputs
In parallel with these activities, I contributed to the coordination and development of Deliverable 2.1 within ENSURE-6G, which is being prepared as a journal paper titled “Approaches to Enhance Trustworthy and Distributed AI in 6G.”
My contributions focused on key sections of the paper, including:
- The Introduction, framing the role of distributed AI in future 6G systems
- Distributed AI Solutions in 6G Networks, outlining architectural and operational approaches
- Future Directions, identifying research gaps and emerging challenges
This work aligns closely with the broader objectives of ENSURE-6G, particularly in defining how trust, resilience, and security can be embedded into AI-driven network infrastructures from the outset.
Teaching and Knowledge Exchange
Alongside research collaboration, I delivered a lecture on Data Security and Privacy, with an Introduction to Cryptography to students at USJ. The session aimed to bridge foundational concepts with practical application, covering:
- The role of cryptography in securing modern communication systems
- Key management challenges in distributed and scalable environments
- Common implementation pitfalls that can weaken otherwise secure designs
Engaging with students in this setting reinforced the importance of articulating complex security concepts clearly and practically, especially since future engineers will operate within increasingly AI-driven network ecosystems.
The Value of Collaboration Beyond the EU
A key characteristic of this secondment was the opportunity to collaborate beyond the European research ecosystem. While ENSURE-6G is anchored in EU cooperation, engagement with partners such as USJ introduces valuable diversity in perspective. Different regions function under varying infrastructural, regulatory, and threat conditions. These differences affect how security challenges are prioritised and addressed. Incorporating such perspectives is crucial to ensure that 6G solutions are not only technically robust but also globally applicable.
