//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
– and should – be building security provisions
in from the start, during the development
of any new network technology. After all,
the huge amount of investment into the
development of 5G networks requires some
form of insurance. As we enter the 5G era,
using security as a criteria for quality will give
operators a competitive edge.”
Security vulnerabilities unique
to 5G
The nature of 5G networks may also bring
their own security flaws not seen in previous
generations. For example, one of the many
www.intelligentcio.com
FEATURE: MOBILE SECURITY
new revenue streams offered by 5G lies
in the practice of network slicing, in which
portions of a 5G network are partitioned
and delivered ‘as-a-Service’ to suit specific
customer segments and use cases. However,
replacing dedicated hardware with software-
defined systems (some of them based on
open source projects) may prove a double-
edged sword that makes mobile networks
even more vulnerable to attacks.
Jones said: “Each new generation of mobile
standards since 2G has been designed for
one and the same goal: boost bandwidth
on packet networks, to provide users with
Jimmy Jones, Telecom Business
Development Lead, Positive Technologies
INTELLIGENTCIO
43