5G network security in telecommunications

As the sophistication of computer networks has increased, cybercriminals have also improved their methods. In fact, hacking has become a dark business in its own right, as illegal "crimeware" products are sold in the same way as network security packages: from support services to "try before you" offers. purchase".

5G network security threats

Some of the benefits of 5G are high data transfer speeds and increased capacity. But while consumers and legitimate businesses, such as those in the telecommunications industry, will undoubtedly benefit from this, they also present new opportunities for cybercriminals.. In addition, the increased connectivity associated with 5G and the Internet of Things implies that there is a larger global network "surface" on which hackers can act to find weak spots.

This factor has been considered one of the biggest concerns for companies in North America, India, Australia and the United Kingdom, according to a recent AT&T survey. Other crucial security aspects highlighted in the AT&T survey were the increased number of devices in the IoT (Gartner predicts it will reach 25 billion in the next two years) and the need to authenticate and apply the appropriate security policies to those. devices. When it comes to the IoT, the concern will not be exclusive to the telecoms and those responsible for the security of corporate networks; The 000 Mirai botnet cyberattack leveraged the connectivity of hundreds of thousands of poorly protected personal webcams, routers, and other devices to launch distributed denial of service attacks against major companies like Twitter and Spotify. And, once they have access to a network, with the high speeds of 2016G they crackers can steal data very quickly. Mirai revealed a crucial weakness of the IoT: that you don't need to penetrate robust corporate defenses to gain access to an organization's network. Cybercriminals only need to gain access to a device connected to that network, which can be as simple as impersonating an employee using their smartwatch or phone.

Fight against 5G network security threats

No single method of security can offer 100% protection However, the security threats of 5G networks can be mitigated. The first steps are risk assessment and vulnerability testing. In these cases the key is to find a reliable partner who can test a network, using advanced tools to detect weaknesses. Once the back doors of a network have been identified, it is much easier to close them. A robust 5G network security plan must include virtualized and automated security controls with embedded artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities; After all, it's relatively easy to defend against known threats and weaknesses, but a network that can spot new anomalies as they develop is far better protected than one that can't. IT security officers also need to consider a zero trust environment, which involves proactively blocking network access from any device that has not been positively identified. Finally - and of particular importance to telecos - all partners have to collaborate on security policies and implementation, which could mean working with a security managed service provider.

The global implementation of 5G will undoubtedly have profound and positive effects on society in the long term and will revolutionize communications. But the benefits include a need for prudence; the days of installing antivirus software and hoping it would keep a network safe are long gone.