5G Networks: The Cyber Security Requirements
The next evolution in mobile networking will arrive in selected cities in the UK and Ireland during 2019 as the major mobile networks introduce their 5G services. 5G builds on previous network infrastructure and will deliver much faster network speeds and vastly reduced latency on mobile. The latter feature will allow 5G networks to support large numbers of new services such as always connected autonomous vehicles, a massive increase in connected devices in the IoT space, plus smart neighbourhoods and cities that have technology and continuous monitoring embedded in buildings and council street items.
5G has the potential to usher in the modern, technological future that has been talked about for decades. With virtual reality, augmented reality, ubiquitous always-connected devices, remote healthcare and more, that will bring a change to modern life that is described as the fourth industrial revolution.
5G Security Risks
The anticipated deployment of 5G networks and the devices that will use it over the next few years will bring associated security issues on two fronts.
Firstly, the security issues that are seen today on existing networks will be magnified by the proliferation of connected devices. Research shows that there are 8.3 Billion IoT devices in use in 2019, but this number will increase to 21 Billion by 2025. If the state of security on these additional IoT devices is like it is today, then they will significantly increase the risk of botnet DDoS and other attacks. Even with better security on the new IoT devices the attack surface area and potential network vulnerability points to exploit will increase.
Secondly, the new services that will be enabled by the 5G connectivity will bring new vulnerabilities and attack points for malicious cyber-criminals. A fleet of autonomous taxi’s or trucks would be a tempting target for a ransomware attack. Other unforeseen attack methods are sure to appear as 5G enables new business models.
Mitigating 5G Security Risks
Countering the threats that appear along with 5G networking will require the use of existing and new procedures. All of the things that organisations should be doing today to protect their networks and applications will still be needed in the 5G world. However, the increased bandwidth, speed, and surface area will mean that firewalls, load balancers, anti-malware protection, and more will need to be managed and updated diligently and in real time. Exploits will be able to spread more quickly so it will be vital for security teams to stay current to counter them. It may be the case that new tools based on machine learning will need to be deployed to monitor network traffic and threats to ensure that responses can be automated in real time. Authentication systems in use should be robust and should require authorisation for each access to networks, and not just rely on single factor one-off authentication.
The deployment of 5G technology should certainly be planned well with security in mind so that it is deployed in a way that doesn’t decrease the security procedures organisations use. There will be pressure on IT teams from many directions in business to quickly deploy 5G services to get a business advantage. But like all IT provision if 5G is not done with proper security in mind than any early lead will be wiped out when security vulnerabilities are exploited.
Organisations should revise their operations and look to implement a DevSecOps strategy that has security at the core of development and IT operations. Moreover, experts in security should be consulted as this is a rapidly changing field that requires a full-time focus to stay current on emerging threats.
Next Steps
The 5G revolution will be an exciting time, and it will enable new IT and business services that will transform the modern world. Renaissance can help you select, deploy, and secure 5G devices and services for your business. Contact us to start a conversation, and together we can begin to plan for the day when 5G networks are available.
Paul