5G could pose a major security risk

5G may be the catalyst for new opportunities, but it may also be a facilitator of completely new cybersecurity threats. 

According to a new report by AT&T Cybersecurity, cybersecurity professionals worry about the potential impact 5G will have on the threat landscape. It states that almost three quarters of 704 cybersecurity pros polled for the report consider 5G’s potential impact on cybersecurity either high, or medium-high.

Even more (76 per cent) expect to see entirely new security threats pop up, once 5G kicks into overdrive. For almost a quarter (22 per cent), the presence of 5G will mean rethinking of their cybersecurity systems altogether, and for four in five, 5G will be used for connecting new devices, and that concerns them.

Even though the majority share various concerns when it comes to 5G and potential risks that come with it, a significantly lesser portion is actually doing something about it.

The same report concludes that only a third of the cybersecurity pros plan to implement tighter network access controls within the next five years, and less than four in ten (37 per cent) are planning on integrating new systems for device authentication.

“Organisations should do more to prepare their cybersecurity practices for 5G,” the report concludes.

“Preparations that should be made include security virtualisation, automation, and SDN, enhanced measures for identity and authentication, and planning for a shared security model. Be proactive and improve your security posture now, while 5G is still in its early stages of deployment and adoption.”

source itproportal

Industry: Cyber Security