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Insight Prysmian Magazine

5G and cybersecurity: A new approach for next-generation networks

5G is the wireless fabric that will connect everything. However, with increasing importance must come increased security, while there are still security issues which need to be considered and addressed before 5G can truly begin to power our lives. Recently, the European Commission has endorsed a joint toolbox of mitigating measures agreed by EU Member States to address security risks related to the rollout of 5G: the aim is to mitigate the main cybersecurity risks of 5G networks, and to provide guidance for the selection of measures which should be prioritised in mitigation plans at national and at Union level.

There are some security considerations across 5G networks, the first one is the network architecture: 5G networks are based on a software-defined network. Its activities are pushed towards routers spread throughout the entire network, making it impossible to identify or deploy chokepoints for security inspection and control. Then the Virtualisation: with 5G, most activities are developed and performed based on the Internet Protocol (IP) as well as popular operating systems. As a result, it will be easier to attack the software and manipulate it. IoT proliferation is another point to take into consideration: has grown even without the support of 5G technology. Devices on the IoT network allow individuals and organisations alike to run critical processes. But the addition of billions of IoT devices to the 5G network could also expose it to additional risks and increase the network’s vulnerability.

To develop robust cybersecurity solutions, security should be considered at every stage of the network development lifecycle. It’s essential that security is integrated within the network’s hardware, firmware and software development, in order to protect its integrity. Increasingly, businesses and consumers alike will expect the companies who provide their network services to demonstrate sufficient cybersecurity defences that can sustain 5G network security. That’s why every network service provider must implement successful and robust cybersecurity programmes.

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