Security of cellular networks position paper
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SHORT PAPER
Security of cellular networks position paper Elisa Bertino1 Received: 27 December 2019 / Accepted: 8 July 2020 © China Computer Federation (CCF) 2020
Abstract The paper discusses current research efforts focusing on security and privacy for 5G cellular networks. It then outlines research directions. Keywords 5G · Security · Privacy
1 Introduction Cellular networks are today a critical infrastructure supporting a diversity of applications in many different areas. The new generation of those networks, the 5G cellular networks, is expected to significantly enhance communication bandwidth, and reduce energy costs and latency. As a result, cellular networks will become even more pervasive and support advanced communication intensive applications, such as augmented reality, and large scale IoT systems, and ultimately contribute to the transformation of cities, homes, healthcare imaging and diagnostics, manufacturing, transportation, robotics. However, because they are already pervasive and will increasingly be so, cellular networks can be targets of cyberattacks of different nature. For example, a denial of service (DoS) attack carried out on a 5G cellular network may disrupt entire communities and service infrastructures, with disastrous consequences. Vulnerabilities in cellular networks may also undermine privacy essentially allowing parties to track the locations and movements of targeted individuals. Securing cellular networks is a challenging task. These networks consist of multiple layers, e.g., physical layer, radio resource control (RRC) layer, non-access stratum (NAS) layer, etc. Each layer in turn has its own protocols to implement its procedures, such as protocols for attaching/detaching devices to/from the network and protocols for paging devices for notification of incoming calls and SMS (Bertino 2019). * Elisa Bertino [email protected] 1
In this paper, after a short survey of key technologies in 5G networks, we discuss research efforts focusing on security of these networks, and then discuss a few research directions.
2 Key elements of 5G technology 5G cellular networks are a complex technology that encompasses several building blocks, briefly discussed in what follows. It is important to notice that actual deployments of 5G networks may not necessarily use all these building blocks. • Millimeter waves: these are electromagnetic waves in
the frequency range of 30-300 GHz, whereas 4GLTE is the band below 6GHz (Bogale et al. 2017). Millimeter waves allow 5G networks to transmit very large amounts of data but only a few blocks at a time, and to also use unlicensed frequencies, currently used by WiFi, without creating conflicts with WiFi networks by the use of small cells to complement conventional cellular networks. • Small cells: These cells are portable base stations (BSs) that complement conventional macro cells by providing extended coverage and increasing network capacities. Because of their reduced transmitter-receiver distance, small cells enable energy efficiency (Wu et al. 2017
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