Abro
66
3.2.5 Security Threats and Protection for 5G
With the wide spectrum of 5G applications and services and its critical role to serve
society for social, economic growth and public safety, the threat vector for 5G can be
wide. Motivations to threaten and attack the 5G will now be higher than in previous
network generations. There is a greater chance that the 5G will be a key target for criminal activities driven by various different motives, such as state‐sponsored political
motives, adversaries, organized crime cartels, espionage and cyberwarfare.
Attackers keep innovating and finding new ways to evade detection, having learnt
to exploit the social and financial system for their needs. With the evolution of digital
payment systems, and technologies like Bitcoin getting into the mainstream, it
will be a lot easier for criminals to stay under the blanket and keep gaining the
financial benefits.
Table 3.1 4G Security Threat Analysis.
Threat
Threat description
Impact Severity
(Minor, Moderate,
Severe, Extreme)
Threat
Occurrence
(1‐5, Low‐High)
Insecure Mobile OS
(Operating System)
Mobile operating systems carry
vulnerabilities that are fixed, using
vendor issued patches and updates.
If not fixed, can cause attackers to
exploit vulnerabilities to hack into
mobile systems
Moderate
4
Download
unauthorized apps
Users download app from app store
that are not verified by the vendor or
checked by their IT department, and
can be malicious
Moderate
5
Insecure App with
sensitive data
A legitimate app that leaks sensitive
personal or business data and with
no mechanism to encrypt or protect
Severe
5
Virus
Malicious software code with a
specific purpose to damage mobile
functions or files
Severe
2
Malware
An advanced virus or malicious
app that can propagate and
self‐reproduce causing large‐scale,
network‐wide damage
Extreme
3
Spyware
A malware type used to steal end
user data, sensitive information to
transmit to remote attackers
Extreme
3
DDoS (Distrusted
Denial of Service)
Launched as a coordinated attack
involving hundreds of thousands of
devices infected with malicious
code. Targets the availability of
mobile networks
Extreme
2
66
3.2.5 Security Threats and Protection for 5G
With the wide spectrum of 5G applications and services and its critical role to serve
society for social, economic growth and public safety, the threat vector for 5G can be
wide. Motivations to threaten and attack the 5G will now be higher than in previous
network generations. There is a greater chance that the 5G will be a key target for criminal activities driven by various different motives, such as state‐sponsored political
motives, adversaries, organized crime cartels, espionage and cyberwarfare.
Attackers keep innovating and finding new ways to evade detection, having learnt
to exploit the social and financial system for their needs. With the evolution of digital
payment systems, and technologies like Bitcoin getting into the mainstream, it
will be a lot easier for criminals to stay under the blanket and keep gaining the
financial benefits.
Table 3.1 4G Security Threat Analysis.
Threat
Threat description
Impact Severity
(Minor, Moderate,
Severe, Extreme)
Threat
Occurrence
(1‐5, Low‐High)
Insecure Mobile OS
(Operating System)
Mobile operating systems carry
vulnerabilities that are fixed, using
vendor issued patches and updates.
If not fixed, can cause attackers to
exploit vulnerabilities to hack into
mobile systems
Moderate
4
Download
unauthorized apps
Users download app from app store
that are not verified by the vendor or
checked by their IT department, and
can be malicious
Moderate
5
Insecure App with
sensitive data
A legitimate app that leaks sensitive
personal or business data and with
no mechanism to encrypt or protect
Severe
5
Virus
Malicious software code with a
specific purpose to damage mobile
functions or files
Severe
2
Malware
An advanced virus or malicious
app that can propagate and
self‐reproduce causing large‐scale,
network‐wide damage
Extreme
3
Spyware
A malware type used to steal end
user data, sensitive information to
transmit to remote attackers
Extreme
3
DDoS (Distrusted
Denial of Service)
Launched as a coordinated attack
involving hundreds of thousands of
devices infected with malicious
code. Targets the availability of
mobile networks
Extreme
2