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Cybersecurity is key to a successful 5G strategy

By Prayukth K V
November 19, 2020
cybersecurity for 5g strategy

5G brings forth new opportunities and threats. While the opportunities are more or less understood, the threats. While new virtualization technologies including software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) are drawing attention and investment, there is no denying that they have raised new security concerns owing to their highly open, flexible, and programmable nature.

Director Chris Krebs from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) calls 5G “the single biggest critical infrastructure build that the globe has seen in the last 25 years”–an assessment that isn’t hyperbolic, given the new networks promise to revolutionize everything from IoT, to augmented reality, to farming, while also creating a whole host of new security challenges.

This underscores the importance of 5G security and the need to understand and manage it early. Enabling technologies such as robotics, IoT, IIoT, large scale automation and AI come with a huge dependency on 5G. For projects in these domains to succeed, 5G has to deliver value securely. Sacrificing value for security or sacrificing security for value are not the recommended options. A laser-sharp focus on cybersecurity aligned to outcome priorities is the way forward.

Here are a few points to ponder in this regard. These points were culled from a presentation made by Subex at the “Enterprise 5G: The Edge of Innovation “event in October.

  • 5G innovation within the enterprise space is an area witnessing plenty of action from a strategy and roadmap perspective
  • 5G is secure by design but as the data moves closer to the endpoint, the level and control of security oversight thin out. There was broad consensus on deriving ways in which different players in the market can collaboratively engage to secure the 5G ecosystem
  • What are the challenges in deploying 5G with legacy systems? Though 5G will continue to evolve there may be networks and systems that will still be on traditional networks bringing forth generational security challenges to the fore
  • The new revenue models that 5G will generate will propel massive IoT adoption
  • The success of 5G innovation will have a force multiplier effect on solving various challenges across verticals

Plenty of unknowns will be uncovered as we move forward with the deployment of newer and more robust sub-networks that rely on 5G. We need to be prepared.

In case you want to know more about strategies and solutions to deal with the cybersecurity challenges posed by sequestered 5G deployment, generational vulnerabilities, and cybersecurity innovation for 5G, Natalie Smith will be happy to assist you. Do reach out to her at natalie.smith@subex.com

You can also download a complimentary whitepaper we have prepared for fine-tuning your 5G cybersecurity strategy below.

Download Whitepaper Here!

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