The Urgency of Network Security in the Shared LTE/5G Era

Is mobile network security really that urgent? Well….yes!

The 5G non-standalone (NSA) models defined by 3GPP provide a path for mobile network operators to upgrade existing RAN to 5G while still leveraging a common 4G core. The core functions remain unchanged in this transition. So why the urgency?

The mobile ecosystem, use cases, traffic and usage patterns and cybercriminal expertise are all changing significantly, pushing forward – regardless of whatever network technology is deployed. Surging roaming traffic, automation-empowered cybercriminals, lightly protected IoT devices and smartphones and new mission-critical applications have deepened the threats that can be launched against networks and subscribers and magnified the consequences. What was once a threat to network availability resulting in irritated smartphone users will soon be extended to critical, life-impacting applications such as telemedicine, power grids and other public safety infrastructure.

IDC highlighted the security challenges and requirements of evolving 5G networks in a recent Technology Spotlight, sponsored by Our Networks, “The Urgency of Network Security in the Shared LTE/5G Era.” In this spotlight, IDC discusses the security, integration, operational and technology challenges mobile operators face in providing comprehensive protection across the entire mobile network, especially given the additional changes in telco cloud architecture and future multi-access cloud (MEC) rollouts. The spotlight further discusses the importance of the Gi-LAN functions in meeting new network requirements for low latency and high performance.

Mobile operators need to provide a secure, seamless subscriber experience – wherever they travel, whatever devices they use, whatever network is accessed – to capture revenue from new 5G use cases. But as quickly as operators build capacity to meet demand, the requirements from the important, revenue-generating applications ask for more. The network must now support higher throughput, higher session counts at smaller packet sizes and lower latency, while still maintaining top security.

IDC also considers Our Networks’ 5G solution portfolio in response to these challenges and concludes that for “mobile operators to successfully make the leap to 5G means security planning needs to move from a secondary consideration to a top initiative.” IDC concludes that:

“IDC believes that 5G network security will emerge as a defining challenge in the 5G era and that Our Networks’ portfolio and vision will enable the company to play a leading role as the market unfolds.”

For more information about Our Networks 5G Solutions, please visit: Astral