A new study by Trend Micro, one of the world's leading providers of cyber security solutions, shows that improved security and data protection functions are the main motive for the expansion of private 5G networks. The disclosure of data transmitted over the wireless network is considered the greatest security concern.
More and more operators of networked production plants, hospitals or other "smart" infrastructures are looking for alternatives to public 5G networks and hope for better coverage and control, low latency times and a higher level of security through private 5G networks.
However, such environments have a number of security requirements that traditional IT and OT environments do not have. Above all, the disclosure of data (31 percent) that is transmitted via the private wireless network is considered the greatest challenge.
The study names relevant attack vectors
- Software vulnerabilities in operating systems (37 percent)
- Configuration errors (34 percent)
- Vulnerabilities in network equipment (33 percent)
- Device vulnerabilities in RAN (31 percent) and CORE networks (27 percent)
- Connected network compromise (27 percent)
"Private 5G networks are confusing: two-thirds of respondents say they plan to use the technology in some form in the future," said Eric Hanselman, principal analyst at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. “However, the shared responsibility model in the cloud means that companies must build their own security functions in the process. To do this, they need competent partners who will support them along the way. Companies have great expectations of 5G security. However, what matters most is the quality of their partnerships.”
5G is only partially integrated
Another challenge in security projects will be that only 23 percent of those surveyed expect private 5G security to be fully integrated with existing OT security. Just over half (55 percent) expect partially automated connections to existing security systems. From this it can be deduced that although companies have recognized the importance of 5G security, they have not yet fully defined the cooperation between different security teams. This gives rise to fears of silo formation.
Given the complexity of such projects, it's not surprising that more than half (58 percent) of respondents say they either work with partners to conduct risk assessments or outsource the task entirely. 33 percent state that they also work with a third party. Industry-specific expertise in matters of security (24 percent) is the most important criterion for companies looking for IT partners. 19 percent also state that they want to work with existing partners.
Pre-launch risk assessments
“We see security risk management as one of the most important drivers for the business. That's why we want to make sure that companies have a comprehensive awareness of the technology behind IT, OT and communications such as private 5G networks," explains Udo Schneider, IoT Security Evangelist at Trend Micro.
Research Background: Trend Micro commissioned 451 Research to survey 400 information security decision makers from 400 organizations in the US, Germany, UK and Spain.
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About Trend Micro As one of the world's leading providers of IT security, Trend Micro helps create a secure world for digital data exchange. With over 30 years of security expertise, global threat research, and constant innovation, Trend Micro offers protection for businesses, government agencies, and consumers. Thanks to our XGen™ security strategy, our solutions benefit from a cross-generational combination of defense techniques optimized for leading-edge environments. Networked threat information enables better and faster protection. Optimized for cloud workloads, endpoints, email, the IIoT and networks, our connected solutions provide centralized visibility across the entire enterprise for faster threat detection and response.