Comprehensive survey on security challenges and solutions in cognitive radio networks

Cognitive Radio (CR) technology offers dynamic spectrum access, allowing for more efficient use of the radio frequency spectrum. While this innovation addresses spectrum scarcity, it introduces significant security and privacy concerns. This paper examines key vulnerabilities in cognitive radio networks (CRNs), including spectrum sensing data falsification, primary user emulation attacks, and denial-of-service attacks, which exploit the adaptive and opportunistic nature of CR systems. In addition, privacy challenges arise from the frequent sharing of location, identity, and spectrum usage data. This paper explores existing security frameworks, mitigation strategies, and privacy-preserving techniques, emphasizing the need for robust cryptographic methods, trust management, and real-time intrusion detection systems. The paper concludes by identifying open research areas that need attention to develop secure, resilient CRNs while preserving user privacy.