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5G security

Research · March 2022

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25566.51529

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 5G Security Threats
Aysha H.Alfaw
College of information technology
University of Bahrain
Sakhir,Bahrain
20011036@stu.uob.edu.bh
Abstract—This 5G technology is providing the broadband
access in whole world, entertaining the user mobility with
higher approach, Also ensured that a number of
electronic devices such as the Internet of Things (IoT) are
connected in a very reliable and affordable manner.
Every technologist or technology enablers trying to
inherit the useability of 5th generation technology in their
products such as SDN (Software Defined Networking),
NFV and cloud computing. In the implementation of this
technology there are several challenges with respect to
user’s privacy and user’s security. In this paper, we will
discuss the security challenges and threats which can
occur due to the implementation of this technology, most
importantly we will overview the challenges for users’
privacy. At the end of this paper, we will present some
solutions regarding the challenges that can occur due to
implementation of 5G. We will also discuss some
directions that will give a guideline for further
development and implementation for a secure 5th
generation system.
Keyword: 5G, 5G security, 5G attack , 5G security Threat ,
Telecommunication, Privacy, SDN, NFV.
I. INTRODUCTION
5G network aims to achieve ''internet of
everything”, and it adopts many technologies which
support services and applications, for example Virtual
Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), IoT, Internet
of Vehicles (IoV) [1]. As the 5G network is growing,
many challenges will arise, and there is much research
related to network security and challenges. 5G
network is the first network that utilizes frequencies in
the 24-86 GHz band for communications[17].
The vision of 5th Generation wireless connections
is to deliver exceptionally large bandwidth and
penetration by deploying dense base stations with
enhanced productivity, greatly improved Quality of
Service (QoS), and extraordinarily low lag. Innovative
networking, system distribution, storage, and
processing methods that will be needed to offer the
compulsory services envisioned by 5G. Cloud
computing enables administrators to efficiently
manage data, resources, and services despite having to
spend on infrastructure. By segregating the Planes for
Alauddin Y.Al-Omary
Department of Computer Engineering
College of information technology
University of Bahrain
Sakhir,Bahrain
aalomary@ uob.edu.bh
network monitoring and data forwarding. Application
Connectivity is a type of networking which is known
as Software Defined Network (SDN) which allows for
the softwarization of network functions.
SDN, on one hand, promotes networking
innovation through abstraction and, on the other side,
simplifies network management. Network Function
Virtualization (NFV) reduces the requirement for
functionality or service-specific hardware by allowing
diverse network functions to be placed in different
network perimeters as needed. SDN and NFV, when
used together, increase network flexibility, reduce the
obstacle of supplier proprietary solutions by
simplifying network control and administration,
making it critical for the networks of the future.
Despite the technology of innovation and method, the
security of network and user privacy will continue to
be a significant concern for future networks [2].
II. LITERATURE REVIEW:
5G refers to the 5th generation mobile network, that
came after the 4G network, 5G provides a new type of
network which had designed to connect virtually to
everyone such as devices, machines, and objects.
5G provides faster speeds and authoritative
connections on smartphones and other devices [3]. 5G
is beneficial because it has greater bandwidth that
means works with many connected devices than
previous networks [4]. Consequently, there is much
research about 5G security threats.
A. Security Threats in 5G :
5th Generation connect essential infrastructure,
necessitating increased security to safeguard not just
the safety of critical infrastructure but also the safety
of society overall.
A security compromise in electronic power supply
systems, for example, may be devastating for all of
society's electrical and electronic systems.
as well as to evaluate alternatives that are possible
might lead to safe 5th Generation’s technology
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enables systems. There are some basic obstacles for
the implementation of 5G in smart phones’ networks:
• An abundance of end-user gadgets and
novelties
• Encrypted keys for radio interfaces delivered
across unsecure channels. So, security for it is the
main concerns.
• Integrity of the user plane
• The usage of security measures is optional due
to service-driven limits on the security architecture.
• Migrating from one operator network to
someone else does not modify user-security
parameters, resulting in security breaches.
• Operating systems, programs, and
configuration data on consumer devices are not
protected by security measures.
Some principles are designed to follow the mobile
network companies to implement the 5G technology:
By adopting new computing and networking
technologies, that able to create a shared composable
core and simplify operations and administration. Here
are the following security concerns that must be prone
by targeting some elements etc.[18][19].
A.1 Security Threats in NFV and SDN:
By centralizing network control systems, SDN
promotes programmability in communication
networks. On the other side, these two disruptive
characteristics open the door to network breaching
and hacking. SDN is vulnerable to DoS attacks due to
its popularity. For virtualized telecom services, NFV
systems do not provide enough security and isolation.
Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) are complex and
dynamic, which contributes to configuration blunders
and, as a result, privacy holes, is one of the most
persistent challenges with NFV adoption in cellular
carriers [1] [5].
A.2 Privacy Threats and Challenges for 5th
Generation technology:
The most serious privacy issues for users may arise
from data, location, and id. Several hand-held devices,
as well as their apps or programs, require personal
information from the subscriber before they may be
loaded. Programmers or organizations rarely describe
how well the data will be stored or for what purposes
that will used. Subscribers' location privacy is largely
targeted by threats.
There is a risk with the user data and privacy when
storing in a cloud in another country because every
country has different degrees of data privacy
regulations that respect the specific authentication [6].
A.2.1 SDN and NFV challenges:
5G cellular networks are expected to be the main
infrastructure for providing a service, which brings
new challenges to the desired goals of upcoming
networks.
NFV is facing several challenges, so it is important to
provide a secure implementation of operations for
example data communication and virtual machine
(VM).
Also , SDN in the 5G network facing challenges, such
as in control and confidentiality. It is an important to
support the heterogeneity of devices with survivability
and so on [15].
A.3 Security Threats in Mobile Clouds:
As cloud applications share a variety of options, these
options are possible for individual users to send out
damaging traffic in a proper sequence to delay in
network, use more networks or others, or obtain illegal
accessing towards other people's data users'
connections. Tenants in multi-tenant cloud networks
implement its individual control algorithm, interaction
could potentially lead to communication configuration
conflicts. Cloud services ideas are integrated into 5G
ecosystems through Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC).
This results in a slew of security problems, the most of
which are due to 5G's architectural and infrastructural
upgrades. As a result, the open nature of MCC and the
resilience of mobile phones provide vulnerabilities
through which attackers can launch attacks and
threaten mobile cloud privacy [2].
Depending on which cloud portions are targeted, MCC
hazards are broken down into three categories:
The security of mobile and network-based concerns
for front-end, back-end. The client platform, the client
platform is the front end of the MCC architecture that
consists of the mobile terminal applications and
interfaces required to access the running cloud
services. The back-end platform consists of cloud
storage, hard disks, VMS, hypervisors, and standards
that are required to deliver cloud services. Security
problems are mostly addressed at mobile cloud
servers on this platform. Radio Access Technologies
(RATs), which connect mobile devices connected to
the Internet, is the subject of network-based mobile
security challenges. It can use Wi-Fi, or any other 5G
advanced RAT devices [20].
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A.4 Security Threats for Communicating Channels:
Attacking only-used-in-mobile-networks
communications protocols necessitates a high degree
of knowledge. Standard SDN interfaces, rather than
specific interfaces, will be used in SDN-based 5G
networks. As these APIs become more widely
available, the number of potential attackers grows.
The 5th Generation ecosystem will include drone
technology and air aviation controlling, cloud-
powered VR, linked cars, factories that are
smart(technology-wise), cloud-powered robotics,
transit, and their working conditions.
As a result, applications require very secure
environment solutions that allow for more frequent
authentication and the transmission of critical data
[14].
Table 1: Security challenges in 5G [2]
As table 1 shows above, summarizes the security
challenges of the 5G network. Presents some types of
security threats, security attacks, the objects or services
targeted on the network, the which is most vulnerable
from threats and attacks. As well, the security
challenges are briefly described in this table [2].
III. SECURITY SOLUTOIN 5G :
5G has higher security than previous systems.
Suomalainen et al. [7] in this article, delved into the
security challenges that had potential, when
integrating the Machine learning (ML) technology
into 5G. Threats which ML induce are classified into
five categories such as: spoofing, tampering,
repudiation, disclosure of information, and denial-of-
service (DoS) [8].
There is much research that has focused on the
security of 5G networks, research papers [9] present
the challenges of security in attack and defense. By
analyzing and integrating defense/attack objects in
every layer of 5G.
The main challenge hardware devices and wireless at
the physical layer is destruction by malicious, fake
devices and side-channel attacks.
Accordingly, the first and second problems cause
device unavailability and data leakage, it is solved by
the security department, which prevents attackers to
get close to the device.
Finally, fake device issues which cause a man-in-
the-middle attack can be resolved through
authorization and encryption mechanisms. The main
security challenges at the data link layer are data
leakage due to the shared resource. The solutions are
Virtual Machine slice isolation, encryption, data
erasure, authorization, and secured communication
protocol (TLS, SSH).
Researchers in [9] had proposed new case use for
B5G/6G networks, which is called Ultra Secure Low
Latency Communications. However, that serves the
privacy and response time that needs. They studied
the feasibility of securing the physical layer as an
enabler for (US-LLC). Physical Layer Security has
been described promising feature for privacy and
latency from upcoming B5G/6G wireless networks.
Park et al [10] discussed new technologies and
models such as Blockchain of 5G security at
networks, which is a big revolution in communication
technologies in 5G for the future. The data are linked
to each other in chains. The blockchain has various
characteristics for example decentralization and
distribution, which can provide more security in the
5G network. Blockchain gives a secure data
mechanism in transportation applications and
Blockchain gives a fast security authentication.
In this paper [11], the authors have highlighted that
the need to develop the 3GPP, 5G standards and
NIST, to the goal of beginning quantum ready for 5G
core network. The security and privacy essentially be
on symmetric-key cryptography.
To grant security and integrity to 5G, it must provide
a unique technology. In [12], the authors look at the
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) layers and the
use of security technologies. The 5G network security
solution uses the OSI protocol instead of the four-
layer TCP/IP format
Adam and Ping [13] have presented a paper that
related to ''security Event Management in 5G
network'', where was provided a framework for
automated SLA (Service Level Agreements ) driven
3
 management of security functions and the security
services over layers in 5G network.
Zhang et al. [16] they discussed a various security
issues from different perspectives, for example 4G
networks with new architectures and challenges. They
talked about the solution of 5G security from from
several perspectives, with cloud environment, new
core networks, and radio technologies and security
architecture.
IV. CONCLUSION:
Mobile clouds, SDN, and NFV will be used in 5G to
address the difficulties of huge interconnectedness,
agility, and affordability. These technologies, for all
of their benefits, also pose a security concern. As a
consequence, the research highlighted the main
security risks in this study, which, if not addressed
properly, might make 5G riskier. The paper presented
the security procedures and solutions that may be
employed to deal with these problems. In a.ddition, as
more consumer devices become linked and more
different sets of services are supplied in 5G,
telecommunications privacy and security risks will
become more obvious. To summarise, as new 5G
technologies and services are adopted, new types of
security risks and vulnerabilities are expected to
emerge. However, tackling these concerns from the
start would be preferable throughout deployment will
reduce the risk of privacy and security breaches.
V. REFRENCES:
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5G requires effective communication channel security
not just to avoid security risks, but also to maintain
the extra benefits of SDN such as centralized policy
administration, programmability, and worldwide
network status transparency. Privacy-by-design
strategies must be used in 5G, in which privacy is
handled from the beginning of the system and many
key features are built-in Network carriers must
implement a composite virtualized method that
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