The energetic cost of mitigating AI attacks in cellular networks

Abstract

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), generally as Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, in all levels and aspects of cellular networks demonstrates the success of data-driven algorithms; for example, the Radio Intelligence Controller (RIC) of the O-RAN paradigm bestows the network with optimised radio resource allocation, load balancing or energy efficiency functions, among others. Nevertheless, this dependency on data opens new security vulnerabilities, as attackers can alter data properties and steer ML models to underperform or degrade. Conversely, the developed mitigation strategies are effective, but they generate a computational load which, in consequence, results in an energy cost generally overlooked, even in the current energy-awareness context. In this work, consumption of a defence technique is characterised, and the challenges raised by the triad of ML accuracy, robustness and energy efficiency are outlined.