Network and Information Security in Wireless Optical Network

Abstract The increasingly growing demand for costeffective and high-speed wireless communication services has led to significant interest in Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) within the research communities and market. Over the past decades, the numerous optical-related technologies (e.g., LEDs, displays, cameras) and systems (e.g., VLC, LiFi, LiDAR) have been developed. OWC technologies, regarded as competitive mechanism for next-generation networks and a viable alternative to radio frequency (RF)based approaches, provide a bandwidth capacity 10,000 times greater than conventional RF-based wireless technologies (e.g., WiFi, LoRa, Bluetooth, LTE). Additionally, OWC offers substantial potential for spatial reuse with minimal interference. Due to its reliance on limited wavelengths and line-of-sight (LoS) transmission, OWC is often perceived as a secure wireless communication method, capable of confining signal transmissions within physical boundaries. However, in practical scenarios, this assumption is inaccurate. Privacy breaches and security vulnerabilities are prevalent across optical-related wireless applications, including OWC networks. While initial studies have begun to address these issues, they often lack systematic analysis and remain fragmented. This paper provides a boardwide review of security challenges in contemporary OWC networks. It systematically identifies and examines the primary vulnerabilities in current and emerging optical communication systems and delineates potential attack methods that exploit these weaknesses. Finally, it highlights future directions for enhancing the security of OWC technologies.