Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A base station may transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a control message that includes an identification of a set of protection levels corresponding to different degrees of physical layer security for securing communications between the UE and the base station. The base station may transmit, to the UE, an indication of an identified protection level of the set of protection levels to be used by the UE for securing the communications between the UE and the base station. The UE may communicate with the base station in accordance with the identified protection level.