RF-Fencing: A Novel RIS-Based Service for Proactive Covert Communications

Abstract: Programmable wireless environments (PWEs), empowered by reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISes), have emerged as a transformative paradigm for next-generation networks, enabling deterministic control over electromagnetic (EM) propagation to enhance both performance and security. In this work, we introduce RF-Fencing, a novel RIS-enabled PWE service that enforces spatially selective control over wireless transmissions, simultaneously suppressing unwanted signal exposure while sustaining robust connectivity for legitimate users. To realize this vision, we develop SHIELD, a lightweight and scalable algorithm that orchestrates multiple RIS units by multiplexing precompiled codebook entries with real-time, low-complexity optimization. Through extensive evaluations across diverse frequencies, RIS configurations, and deployment scenarios, SHIELD demonstrates both far-field directional control and near-field quiet-zone creation, thereby enhancing network security. Our findings reveal that SHIELD effectively balances proactive covert communication with service delivery by dynamically managing multiple signal suppression and delivery areas, while enabling the realization of EM quiet zones with minimal impact on surrounding regions, ultimately establishing RF-Fencing as a practical RIS-based foundation for privacy-preserving and adaptive wireless environments in future 6G networks.