Secret Key Generation Using Physical Channels with Imperfect CSI

Abstract

Providing extra security in wireless communication networks using channel impulse response as a source of common randomness is an appealing direction in prospective systems. While some theoretical and experimental work has demonstrated its potential, a number of issues remain unexplored. This paper is concerned with the reliability of secret key generation under practical estimation requirements. We provide an analytical expression which relates the channel SNRs and degree of reciprocity to probability of key mismatch. In the next step we show how this affects key reconciliation and secrecy leaking. Finally, we consider how quantization with a protective band can help to trade the secret key rate for increased reliability and security of the scheme.