Publication
Exploring y1 communications and services in O-RAN: Background, privacy, and security
Mohammad Asif Habibi; Sachinkumar B Mallikarjun; Mihirraj Dixit; Xavier Costa-PÉrez; MÉrouane Debbah; Hans D Schotten
In: IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society (OJCOMS), Vol. 6, Pages 4638-4666, IEEE, 5/2025.
Abstract
In the latest open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture, the Y1 interface has been
introduced to grant authorized parties, known as Y1 consumers, access to and utilization of Y1 data
within the near-real-time RAN intelligent controller (Near-RT RIC). The primary objective of enabling
communication between Y1 consumers and the Near-RT RIC is to facilitate the introduction of value
added services to O-RAN. This paper comprehensively explores Y1 communications, services, interface,
data, and other essential concepts required to understand the subject matter thoroughly. We examine the
security and privacy aspects of Y1 communications to ensure that all authorized parties involved in these
interactions are equipped to withstand potential threats and vulnerabilities. More importantly, our research
proposes a novel architectural framework for Y1 communications that integrates advanced functionalities
and specifies secure communication protocols. This framework addresses the limitations of the state-of
the-art Y1 architecture by enhancing its robustness, adaptability, and efficiency. In addition, we outline the
procedural flow for Y1 communications within the proposed framework, detailing the functionalities and
processes it introduces. Beyond security and privacy procedures, this paper elaborates on the various phases
of Y1 communications. Furthermore, a series of experiments are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness
of the proposed Y1 framework. Our assessment focuses on the authentication and authorization schemes,
revealing that the mutual transport layer security (mTLS) 1.3-based certificate-bound access token (CBAT)
scheme demonstrated superior performance in ensuring secure and efficient communication. Additionally,
the robustness of the proposed architecture is validated by evaluating its functionality in both subscription
and query scenarios. Moreover, the paper discusses the proposed Y1 framework, primarily focusing on its
role and functionality within the Near-RT RIC and its privacy and security considerations. The framework’s
performance is thoroughly assessed, particularly the impact of Y1 function placement. Finally, several
research challenges are explored, and future directions are identified to provide a roadmap for further
advancements and enhancements of the Y1 communications system.