Articles » 4G/5G QoS vs. 6G QoSec: The Shift to Quality of Security

4G/5G QoS vs. 6G QoSec: The Shift to Quality of Security

6g 4g 5g qos qosec security physical layer wireless security physical layer security

Introduction : In the evolution of wireless networks from 4G to 5G and now 6G, we have seen various network parameters. In 4G and 5G, we measured performance (i.e. data speed) and reliability of connections which gave us frameword of QoS (Quality of Service).

As 6G is made of various heterogenous devices from tiny medical implants to high speed autonomous vehicles, security approach is changing. In 6G, we will have dynamic, tunable resource called Quality of Security (QoSec). Let us understand QoS and QoSec before we explore difference between them.

Quality of Service (QoS) in 4G & 5G

In 4G and 5G networks, QoS is the gold standard for resource allocation. It categorizes traffic to ensure the user gets the experience they demand.

The Focus is the physical delivery of data.
The network looks at the channel conditions (fading, noise) and the application type (voice, video, gaming).
The Execution: In 5G, this evolved into “Network Slicing.” A video streamer gets high bandwidth (eMBB), while a factory robot gets low latency (uRLLC).
The Limitation: Security in this model is binary. You are either encrypted or you are not. A low power sensor and a military drone often go through similar standardized handshake protocols, regardless of the actual threat level in the physical environment.

6G Evolution: Quality of Security (QoSec)

6G proposes that security should be adaptive, just like data rate. QoSec implies that security measures should scale based on the specific risks, environment and device capabilities at that exact moment.

The Focus is the confidentiality and integrity of the data relative to the threat environment.
The mechanism used here is “context awareness”. Using tools like Radio Environment Maps (REM), the network detects if an eavesdropper or jammer is physically present.
Execution :
- If the threat level is low (e.g. rural farm sensor), the network lowers the QoSec to save battery.
- If the threat is high (e.g. crowded city banking transaction), it increases QoSec by allocating more power to Physical Layer Security (PLS) techniques like artificial noise injection.

Comparison between QoS vs. QoSec

Feature	QoS in 4G/5G	QoSec in 6G
Primary Objective	To guarantee user satisfaction regarding speed, latency and reliability	To guarantee a specific level of secrecy and integrity based on the current threat level.
Key Metrics	Data Rate, Latency (ms), Packet Error Rate (PER), Jitter	Secrecy Capacity, Secrecy Outage Probability, Interception Probability
Resource Trade-off	Trades Power/Spectrum for higher data speeds and lower latency	Trades Throughput/Power for higher secrecy (e.g. using power to generate jamming noise instead of data)
Adaptation Trigger	Adapts to Channel Quality (e.g. fading, distance from base station)	Adapts to Context & Threats (e.g. presence of eavesdroppers, location, device value)
Management Layer	Managed primarily by the MAC layer scheduling algorithms	Managed by cross layer designs involving the Physical Layer (PLS) and Context Aware subsystems
Philosophy	”How well can I deliver this packet?"	"How securely can I deliver this packet?”

Summary:

Legacy cryptographic security is computationally heavy and often introduces latency that 6G applications (like haptic surgery) cannot afford. Furthermore, providing “military grade” encryption for a disposable IoT moisture sensor drains its battery and wastes network resources.

QoSec solves this by allowing the network to be intelligent. It enables a “Green Security” approach where high energy security protocols are only activated when a legitimate threat is detected in the Radio Environment Map, ensuring that 6G is not only faster but also smarter and more efficient than its predecessors.