As 5G Rolls Out, We Need To Be Vigilant About Security

Innovation As 5G Rolls Out, We Need To Be Vigilant About Security Kelly Ahuja Forbes Councils Member Forbes Technology Council COUNCIL POST Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based) Jun 17, 2022, 06:15am EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin CEO of Versa Networks .

getty We are on the precipice of one of the greatest accomplishments in technology history that will affect all industries, businesses, consumers and individuals in every aspect of digital and mobile ability. The rollout of the fifth generation of wireless technology, or 5G, introduces a complete transformation of telecommunication networks as we know them and opens up a vast array of new opportunities, services and capabilities. These advancements are providing connectivity for billions of users and devices, enabling new applications that will drive innovation, new markets and economic growth around the world.

Amazingly, these new services are predicted to generate revenue on the order of the entire economy of India. Unlike 3G and 4G, it is interesting to note that 5G wasn’t originally developed to be a global breakthrough technology. Researchers initially thought 5G would be applied only for certain use cases and particular vertical markets.

As time went on, it became clear that the economics of 5G could be a complete game-changer for everyone and every business because of its promised faster speeds, greater bandwidth and optimized mobility. Whether it’s a school, manufacturing facility, health organization, large enterprise or small business, ensuring a rapid 5G rollout is crucial for agile IT and meeting new requirements of users. But as global demand for 5G technology expands, the need for enhanced security also increases.

While 5G offers many benefits, it does pose an increased security risk. 5G networks create attractive targets for cybercriminals and foreign adversaries to expose valuable intelligence and information that can threaten national security and impact other global interests. MORE FOR YOU Google Issues Warning For 2 Billion Chrome Users Forget The MacBook Pro, Apple Has Bigger Plans Google Discounts Pixel 6, Nest & Pixel Buds In Limited-Time Sale Event 5G also increases the number of devices to protect, including virtual assistants.

According to a Networking Computer article, “5G introduces a whole host of security threats and vulnerabilities, such as kernel bypass, DDOS attacks on 5G service interfaces, and exploitation of software or hardware vulnerabilities leading to zero-day exploits. ” As 5G-enabled IoT devices become part of the critical infrastructure, they are of particular security concern since they contain personal data and business-sensitive information. Gartner predicted that 25 billion IoT devices would be connected by 2021, which introduces a highly complex threat landscape, one we haven’t seen from previous networks.

For example, consider last year’s IoT attack on Scripps Health , a San Diego-based non-profit healthcare facility that includes 19 outpatient facilities and five hospitals and treats more than 500,000 patients annually through 2,600 affiliated physicians. As a result of a malware attack, the health organization had to shut down access to its IT systems, including its patient portal. Stories like this put everyone on high alert.

But how do we enable or enhance 5G with additional security capabilities for today’s ever-changing dynamic mobile, enterprise, cloud and remote workforce environments? Secure access service edge (SASE) can equip organizations to not only take advantage of all the benefits 5G has to offer but address and protect against new security threats 5G networks introduce. SASE improves service performance and security. It also delivers end-to-end security, visibility and telemetry for 5G infrastructure and services—and it enforces compliance through consistent security policies across all domains.

Also, with 5G, organizations need to increase security for the expanded attack surface that has grown since remote work has taken hold for employees to work from anywhere. The security architecture of 5G provides for advanced performance benefits of applications to easily leverage cloud resources, virtualization and other emerging technologies. 5G also uniquely lends itself to using more intelligent software and virtual hardware so data is routed through virtual hubs that can be updated quickly if need be.

5G is much more capable of protecting user identity because the information is encrypted. With 5G, it is extremely important for organizations to consider adding proven security solutions that can enforce consistent security posture across public cloud, hybrid cloud and on-premises environments—or any combination of these environments. With ransomware on the rise, nation-state attack possibilities ever-present and infrastructure and other threats looming on the horizon, the time is now to be prepared as the world rolls out its greatest technological advancement to date in the form of 5G.

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