Regional network operators are heavily investing in next generation 5G architecture, with 5G connectivity expected to account for 20 percent of all mobile connections by 2025. Six out of ten Middle Eastern companies also plan to invest in 5G networks, according to industry reports.
The Middle East was one of the first regions to prepare for the technology, with mobile 5G being commercially accessible since mid-2019 and fixed wireless services since 2018.
In fact, in terms of launching and constructing 5G networks, the UAE placed first among Arab countries and fourth internationally in 2019. The UAE’s 5G network speeds are also among the fastest in the world. 5G wireless communications ushers in a new era of network connectivity that will alter many aspects of our lives, including the way that business is conducted.
Because of 5G’s extraordinarily low latency and high throughput, it’s not just about doing things faster; it’s about opening up new applications in a wide range of industries. For example, 5G will enable fully autonomous ‘smart factories’, which could boost the global economy by $1.5 trillion to $2.2 trillion annually from now until 2023.
It’s critical to ensure that 5G is deployed flawlessly for these unique use cases; it’s one thing if a movie download fails, but it’s quite another if, for example, remote surgery enabled by 5G does. Delivering industrial-grade performance everywhere, all the time must be a priority.
Cybersecurity is one focus area in creating 5G as a ‘trusted network’. Malicious actors have grown in sophistication, and they can cause latency issues or even shut down services completely. This is especially true in the case of the most prevalent cyber attack, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). At their most basic level, DDoS attacks employ brute force to overload and disrupt their intended target by redirecting internet traffic, which could be deadly for 5G customers using crucial applications.
5G contains several increased cybersecurity measures at the protocol level, such as significantly better ciphering techniques. These enable businesses to encrypt data using more powerful 256-bit encryption keys, critical for maintaining data integrity. In addition, consumers and businesses are better protected from man-in-the-middle assaults. Before 5G, while a user’s device was roaming, the subscriber’s home carrier network had to trust the visited network for authentication. This is a flaw that the 5G protocol will address.
Even though the protocol layer is more secure, the debate around 5G and cybersecurity neglects to mention how much more work needs to be done to secure devices and apps. The 5G ecosystem is significantly more diverse than in previous generations, and the spread of 5G infrastructure has provided hostile actors with a plethora of attack avenues. The security of 5G is as much reliant on these components’ appropriate implementation, setup, and monitoring as it is on the protocol layer.
DDoS assaults flourish on insecure devices in particular. In recent years, they’ve grown considerably more powerful by leveraging ‘botnets,’ a network of infected devices that amplify the attacking party’s power. Malicious bots currently account for 20 percent of all Internet traffic, and this figure may be conservative. 5G network security must protect devices from these attacks and identify and isolate compromised devices to prevent them from launching additional volleys; in other words, both inbound and outbound protection is required.
Botnets aren’t the only thing posing a threat. Other types of attacks, such as ransomware, will be unaffected by 5G’s protocol-layer advancements and will have access to many Internet of Things (IoT) devices to exploit. Plans are in the works to use 5G in a wide range of industries, from public safety to healthcare to transportation and beyond, necessitating the connection of literally tens of billions of smart devices to the 5G network, all of which may be hacked. Doctors, for example, may implant sensors on a patient connected to 5G and transfer data for analysis and interpretation. The patient’s data may be modified if threat actors hack those gadgets. Securing these types of applications and services will reduce the risk of infection and protect the legions of 5G IoT devices.
The first step is education for enterprise users: learning about the threats that exist for each industry, setup, and application. Current DDoS solutions, for example, use Layer 4 information to detect and mitigate DDoS attacks. Deeper Layer 7 visibility is required with 5G to identify and pinpoint bad actors causing service disruptions. Working with trusted partners to assist in customising device and application cybersecurity is the second step.
To be a genuinely trusted network, however, end-to-end visibility into the multitude of devices and apps linked to 5G is required to assure user safety and meet Service Level Agreements.
