While there are numerous security safeguards and specialized functions within the 5G standards, they are not enough to fully protect the network, according to Mike Hawley, Nokia’s head of packet core research and development. By enabling a variety of new services, 5G increases the threat surface of the network. In addition, it is based on IP and TCP protocols that are well known and familiar, making them easy for bad actors to bypass.
“5G brings many new security challenges that must be addressed,” said Hawley, adding that cloud implementation further “changes the picture.” With a cloud implementation, the entire network core is composed of software, and this software is susceptible to breaches, whether malicious or accidental.
Therefore, it is crucial that packet core vendors design security into their products from the beginning by fostering a “culture of security” within their organizations. Vendors should build product security measures that adhere to zero trust principles, and preform verification and security testing, ideally through automation.
For its part, Nokia works hard to maintain “confidentiality, integrity and availability” in the network environment, and to minimize privacy and security risks, even as the industry continues to evolve.
The idea that 5G networks are under increased risk can be unsettling; however, Hawley was careful to point out that security techniques are evolving just as fast as the deployment environments. “There are many new security approaches on the horizon,” he said. “Soon, Artificial Intelligence [and] Machine Learning techniques will monitor the CSP [communication service provider] network and detect intrusions and other security events before they can cause damage, and even take corrective action through network automation.”
Read more on Nokia Cloud Packet Core.
