In　cognitive　radios,　energy　detector　is　considered　for　spectrum　sensing　in　the　literature.　However,　its　performance　deteriorates　rapidly　if　the　noise　power　is　not　known　exactly.　Moreover,　due　to　the　presence　of　a　colored　channel　interferer　or　some　other　reasons,　the　conventional　white　Gaussian　noise　may　become　colored.　In　order　to　solve　these　problems,　this　paper　proposes　several　multicumulant　based　spectrum　sensing　methods:　generalized　likelihood　ratio　test　(GLRT)　based　multicumulant　(GLRTMC)　based　detection　method　and　multiantenna-assisted　multicumulant　(MAMC)　based　detection　method.　GLRTMC　detection　method　is　derived　from　generalized　likelihood　ratio　test　and　assumed　to　be　near　optimum　in　theory.　MAMC　detection　method,　on　the　other　hand,　by　using　multiple　antennas,　is　a　complexity-reduced　detector　and　allows　us　to　make　a　compromise　between　performance　and　complexity.　It　is　well　known　that　cumulants　higher　than　second　order　are　zero　for　Gaussian　distributions.　Thus,　GLRTMC　detection　method　and　MAMC　detection　method　can　extract　a　non-Gaussian　signal　from　Gaussian　noise　even　when　the　noise　is　colored.　In　addition,　the　proposed　methods　are　nonparametric　in　the　sense　that　they　do　not　require　any　exact　prior　knowledge　about　the　signal　or　the　noise,　such　as　noise　power　or　cyclic　frequencies.　Hence　they　are　immune　from　noise　uncertainty.　Simulation　experiments　are　provided　to　show　the　validity　and　the　superiority　over　single-cumulant　based　detector　of　the　proposed　multicumulant　based　detectors.　©　2012　IEEE.