Telekom Austria

With the advancements in 6G to enable novel services and applications, network slicing appears to be one of the key enabler use case for dynamic resource provisioning within complicated and heterogeneous network environments. That said, QoS assurance, real-time adaptability, and scalability aspects in network slicing require to utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for intelligent automation in network slicing in 6G era. This paper aims to present an overview of recent advancements in AI-based network slicing for future networks, challenges, and future directions. We mention about challenges with conventional slicing approaches, particularly in handling dynamic resource allocation, multi-tenancy conflicts, and SLA violations. Accordingly, we glean state-of-the-art AI/ML techniques (e.g., deep learning, graph neural networks, deep reinforcement learning, federated learning) deployed for slicing optimization. The roles of AI/ML are highlighted in terms of adaptability of network slicing, efficiency of network resource allocation for the slicing, and contribution to scalability of the slicing. In addition, we present open challenges in network slicing such as explainability and trustworthiness, scalability, security and privacy, and standardization and interoperability. We present an outline for future research directions in AI-assisted network slicing for future networks.

Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) play a crucial role in the digital age, particularly for organizations seeking to comply with the stringent privacy regulations in other regions of the world. The article provides insight into the role of PETs, including encryption, anonymization, and blockchain, in managing and protecting personal data, as well as ensuring compliance with regulations such as the GDPR and CCPA. Since it is carried out using qualitative research, as evaluated in the article, the success and implementation of PETs in different industries can be analyzed through case studies, surveys, and interviews. The results indicate that although PETs are complementary in promoting privacy compliance to minimize data breaches, organizations are more likely to face difficulties when implementing them because they are very costly, technically challenging, and require changes in accordance with regulations. Based on this understanding, this article presents practical suggestions that business entities can apply to embrace PETs and enhance their data security efforts to mitigate the evolving regulatory environment. The purpose is to assist organizations in overcoming these obstacles and perfecting their strategy on compliance and data protection.

With the growth and advancement of quantum computing, conventional cryptographic methods are becoming increasingly vulnerable, particularly in the core aspects of cybersecurity, including identity, asset, and network security. In detail, the following paper will provide a systematic analysis of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) in these areas. It discusses the theoretical foundations and operational potential of PQC algorithms, including those based on lattices, which aim to withstand quantum attacks, enhance authentication systems, protect digital assets, and maintain secure network communications. Considering the standards efforts, such as the work by NIST and real-life projects (current implementations of NewHope by Google and pilot projects by AWS), as well as the implementation difficulties that the domain faces, the article provides an overview of strategies related to migration. It explains both the potential and the challenges that face the introduction of PQC into current security infrastructures. It focuses on hybrid cryptography, side-channel robustness, performance trade-offs, and regulatory issues. Ultimately, the findings of this study suggest adopting PQC as a proactive rather than a defensive approach, providing an opportunity to redesign the structure of contemporary cybersecurity to achieve greater security in the face of emerging threats in the future.

In this article we present the testbed for performance evaluation of emerging relaying and coding algorithms in Flying Ad Hoc Networks (FANETs). Using the testbed, we could estimate Quality of Service (QoS) metrics for video streaming in FANETs. This testbed could be used to estimate the distance of direct communication between the ground station and the flying robot and to measure effectiveness of routing protocols for ad hoc networks (e.g., B.A.T.M.A.N.). The testbed includes the ground station (the laptop with special software), the flying robot (unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV) and several Raspberry Pi. We used this equipment in three scenarios. In the first scenario, the flying robot streamed video to the laptop. We analyzed QoS metrics with help of Wireshark and found the maximal range of direct communication without packet loss between nodes using our Wi-Fi dongles. In the second scenario, we set a movement path for radio controlled flying robot and compared the planned route to actual coordinates. In the third scenario we created wireless ad hoc network of three Raspberry Pi devices with B.A.T.M.A.N. protocol to test connectivity in the network between the source and the destination. Thus, we propose the testbed for future evaluation of emerging relaying and coding algorithms in FANET.

Abstract Technical communication is a new field of work compared to other professions, and therefore it does not have a standardised curriculum. In Europe, many technical communicators do not have qualifications in the area. TecCOMFrame, a project funded by the European Union, aims to develop an academic competence framework and higher education prototype curricula at various levels that correspond to the European Framework of Qualifications. The project team has developed the competence framework, comprising six dimensions and 22 subjects. The team is currently developing prototype curricula, including one curriculum which is a focus of this paper, a specialisation stream in technical communication in a Master’s in Translation Studies.

The aggressive expansion of emerging smart devices connected to the Internet infrastructure is nowadays considered as one of the most challenging components of the Internet of Things (IoT) vision. As a particular segment of IoT, the smart home gateways, also named Machine-Type Communication Gateway (MTCG), become an important direction for industry including telecommunication operators. In most cases, the MTCG acts as a bridge between connected smart objects and the public network (Internet). As a consequence of the IoT domain expansion, the separate configuration of each individual Machine-to-Machine (M2M) device is not feasible anymore due to steadily growing numbers of M2M nodes. To perform this task, several novel technologies have recently been introduced. However, legacy protocols and mechanisms for remote network management still retain a certain application potential for IoT. Accordingly, we have investigated the well-known protocol TR-069 with a particular focus on its usability for MTCG. To this end, the software module (bundle) based on the TR-069 for remote configuration and management of MTCG, as well as for controlling the end smart devices, has been developed. We believe that our implementation (available as open source on GitHub) can serve as an important building block for efficient management of future IoT devices. Therefore, TR-069 protocol constitutes a proven and standardized technology and could be easily deployed by most of the network and service providers today.