4G to 5G Evolution: Complex Security Risks

Scott Schober, President and CEO of “Berkeley Varitronics Systems”, participates in Risk Roundup with Jayshree Pandya to discuss “4G to 5G Evolution: Complex Security Risks”.   Introduction It seems that the existing wireless networks were never designed with the security features that individuals and entities across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA) desire today, or will desire, in the coming tomorrow. Over the years, the market demand for the change in wireless networks has come at a neck-breaking pace as the internet of things, smartphones, tablets, laptops and other form of computers have rapidly become a way of being and a way of life. It is because of this market demand and the widening gap between the current and desired state of the wireless networks, that the mobile industry is undergoing a major technology transformation. Now along with this transformation, there are also evolutionary changes happening in the cloud and the web as more devices, more data, more applications, and growing number of novel service delivery models are forcing the industry to innovate further. As a result, from Smart City to Smart Homes, Smart Autos to Smart Healthcare, Smart Enterprises and more, there is a need for fast and ubiquitous network access that connects Cyberspace, Geospace and Space (CGS). As the digital global age advances, wireless networks will need to handle mobile computing and communications needs of not only individuals and entities across NGIOA, but also billions of internet of things, internet of everything and internet of nano-things devices and machines across CGS. What this means is that the need for evolution from 4G to 5G is not simply about having a faster mobile network or better functions in smartphones. While many aspects of 5G are still uncertain and unknown, it is becoming clear that since 5G will not be confined to individual customers, as with 2G, 3G and 4G, each entity across NGIOA, individually and collectively will be impacted due to 5G. The rise of smart nations: smart government- industries, and enterprises, new architecture and new technologies through 5G will present significant opportunities as well as challenges. As the digital global age draws near, along with the growing volume of data traffic and variety of innovative digital services, the opportunities and challenges for next generation 5G technologies will likely increase to unseen-before levels (4G). As entities across NGIOA, independently and collectively navigate their way towards supporting a 5G connected CGS world, its complex security risks are becoming a cause of great concern. It is important to understand and acknowledge that the current silo network-based security approach used today to secure the path between communicating individuals and entities may not be efficient and sufficient enough to build security for the 5G CGS Ecosystem. The time is now to take the security of 5G infrastructures seriously into consideration. The time is now to talk about 5G security risks! 4G Evolution 4G is evolving. The growing bandwidth of 4G already provides number of opportunities as well as risks—and is already providing an enormous attack surface for cybercriminals. The data drip experienced through a 2G and 3G wireless network now has turned into a downpour of data with rapidly growing 4G networks and its ecosystem. However, in the absence of effective integrated security risk management measures, criminal activities in cyberspace impacts geospace as well as space. The growing criminal activities is expected to consume much of the expanding 4G bandwidth and further advances. As mobile to mobile connection and communication through 4G has become a visible open ground for mobile to mobile cyber-attacks,