Dense-Device-Enabled Cooperative Networks for Efficient and Secure Transmission

With the advancements in wireless networks, the number of user devices has increased dramatically, resulting in high device densities. Despite the resulting data traffic deluge, accompanied by severe security threats, wireless networks with high device densities are also breeding grounds for user cooperation. Considering various challenges and opportunities, this article attempts to enhance user cooperation utilizing big data generated from wireless networks toward achieving efficient and secure transmission. In particular, big data, viewed as a resource or tool, is employed to find potential connections among user devices, being followed by user cluster formation. Preliminary results demonstrate that big-data-driven user cooperation facilitates the utilization of wireless resources and reduces the secrecy loss originating from high device densities. Finally, this article identifies research topics for future studies on big-data-driven user cooperation and secure transmission in wireless networks.