On edge caching with secrecy constraints

In this paper we investigate the problem of optimal cache placement under secrecy constraints in heterogeneous networks, where small-cell base stations are equipped with caches to reduce the overall backhaul load. For two models for eavesdropping attacks, we formally derive the necessary conditions for secrecy and we derive the corresponding achievable backhaul rate. In particular we formulate the optimal caching schemes with secrecy constraints as a convex optimization problem. We then thoroughly investigate the backhaul rate performance of the heterogeneous network with secrecy constraints using numerical simulations. We compare the system performance with and without secrecy constraints and we analyze the influence of the system parameters, such as the file popularity, size of the library files and the capabilities of the small-cell base stations, on the overall performance of our optimal caching strategy. Our results highlight the considerable impact of the secrecy requirements on the overall caching performance of the network.