A Classification of Unimodular Lattice Wiretap Codes in Small Dimensions

Abstract: Lattice coding over a Gaussian wiretap channel, where an eavesdropper listens to transmissions between a transmitter and a legitimate receiver, is considered. A new lattice invariant called the secrecy gain is used as a code design criterion for wiretap lattice codes since it was shown to characterize the confusion that a chosen lattice can cause at the eavesdropper: the higher the secrecy gain of the lattice, the more confusion. In this paper, a formula for the secrecy gain of unimodular lattices is derived. Secrecy gains of extremal odd unimodular lattices as well as unimodular lattices in dimension n, 16 \leq n \leq 23 are computed, covering the 4 extremal odd unimodular lattices and all the 111 nonextremal unimodular lattices (both odd and even) providing thus a classification of the best wiretap lattice codes coming from unimodular lattices in dimension n, 8 < n \leq 23. Finally, to permit lattice encoding via Construction A, the corresponding error correction codes are determined.