Physical Layer Exploitation in 3GPP 5G/NR and IEEE 802.11 WiFi Standards
Research indicates that 3GPP 5G/NR and IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) protocols are susceptible to passive, non-intrusive surveillance via physical (PHY) layer vulnerabilities. By exploiting Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) implementation flaws and analyzing Downlink/Uplink Channel State Information (CSI), attackers can execute "pseudo-ranging" to localize targets within precise geographic rings. Utilizing Machine Learning-based modulation classification and Software Defined Radio (SDR) IQ data, adversaries can transition from coarse localization to high-fidelity tracking of mobile assets, including drones and vehicles. This enables the unauthorized construction of malicious digital twin maps and facilitates undetectable mass surveillance of users in dense wireless environments, bypassing traditional upper-layer encryption.