Trust in the Deep: a Survey on Authenticating Acoustic Underwater Communication

The increasing capabilities of underwater sensing and wireless networking have led to a growing range of applications in both civilian and military domains. As these underwater systems become more pervasive, the integrity of the collected sensor data - and consequently the authenticity of the communicating entities and the messages exchanged - becomes critical for ensuring trust in the data, its interpretation, and eventually in the envisioned concept of a transparent ocean. Over the past decade, various approaches have been proposed to ensure authentication in underwater acoustic communication, ranging from adaptations of traditional cryptographic mechanisms to novel physical-layer techniques tailored to the underwater environment. This paper provides an overview of these developments, systematically analyzing their advantages and limitations in light of the unique challenges posed by underwater acoustic communication.