Module – 5 (Mobile Security and Next Generation Networks)

Security issues in mobile computing - Information security, Security techniques and

algorithms, Security models. Next generation networks - Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiplexing (OFDM), Wireless Asynchronous Transfer Mode (WATM), Multi Protocol
Label Switching (MPLS), 10 pillars of 5G, Security for 5G communication.

Mobile computing is pervading our society and lifestyles very fast. Mobile
computing with networked information systems help increase productivity and
operational efficiency. This however, comes at a price. Mobile computing with
networked information systems increase the risks for sensitive information supporting
critical functions in the organization which are open to attacks. The fundamental
premise of mobile computing is that the information will be accessed from outside
the organization. As long as the information is within the four walls, the environment
will be better known. It may be easier to control this environment and make it secure.
When the information or computing environment is outside the controlled
environment we do not have much control either from its users or usage patterns.
Today, all the computers of the world are interconnected through extranet. Moreover,
in a majority of cases, mobile computing uses wireless networks. Wireless media
works on the principle of broadcast; information is radiated to everyone within the
radio wave range, thus increasing security threats. Unlike a physical attack, cyber
attacks can be replicated quite easily. Therefore, unless special care is taken, all
systems are open to attack. This chapter discusses different techniques to secure
information over the mobile computing Environment.

INFORMATION SECURITY
In a mobile environment, the user roams through different networks with
heterogeneous security infrastructure. In such an environment where device mobility
and network mobility is a necessity, offering homogenous service over heterogeneous
devices and networks is the key. In such an environment again, weak security link
from a wireless network could become a point of vulnerability for the entire system.
Therefore, in a mobile computing environment, it is necessary to have a robust
security and trust infrastructure.
Attacks
A security system is a system to defend our assets from attacks. In the physical world,
these attacks are carried out at the weak points in the defense system. Likewise in the
electronic world, attacks are carried out at the point of vulnerability. When the
vulnerability is exploited for some interest or selfish motive, it is an attack on the
system.
Attack on dynamic assets can be of the following types :
 Interception: An unauthorized party gaining access to an asset will be part of
this attack. This is an attack on confidentiality like unauthorized copying of
files or tapping a conversation between parties. Some of the sniffing attacks
fall in this category.
 Modification: An unauthorized party gaining control of an asset and tampering
with it is part of this attack. This is an attack on integrity like changing the
content of a message being transmitted through the network. Different types of
man-in-the-middle attacks are part of this type of attack.
 Fabrication: An unauthorized party inserts counterfeited objects into the
system; for example, impersonating someone and inserting a spurious message
in a network.
 Interruption: An asset is destroyed or made unusable. This is an attack on
availability. This attack can be on a static asset or a dynamic asset. An example
could be cutting a communication.
Line or making the router so busy that a user cannot use a server in a network.
These are all Denial of service attacks.
Attacks on static assets can be of the following types:
 Virus and Worms: These are a type of program that replicates and propagates
from one system to another. Most of the virus do malicious destructive
functions in the system.
 Denial of Service: These are attacks on the system to prevent legitimate users
from using the service.
 Intrusion: These are people or software, which enter into computer systems and
perform function without the knowledge of the owner of the asset. These are
also called hackers.
 Replay Attack: In a replay attack the opponent passively captures the data
without trying to analyze the content. At a later time, the same is used in the
same sequence to impersonate an event and gain unauthorized access to
resource.
 Buffer Overflow Attacks: In a buffer overflow attack, the vulnerability of an
executable program is exploited to force a stack overflow condition, inducing
 the program counter of the process to change. The program counter is then
manipulated to do the work for the attacker.
 Trapdoor Attacks: These are exploitations of some undocumented features of a
system. Undocumented functionality are designed to debug, service, support or
take control of the system.

Components of Information Security

Information security needs to cater to all possible attacks related to
confidentiality, integrity, availability, non-repudiation, authorization, trust and
accounting (CIANATA). Confidentiality is the property where the information is kept
secret so that unauthorized persons cannot get the information. Integrity is the
property of keeping the information intact. Availability is the property of a system by
which the system will be available to its legitimate users. Nonrepudiation is the
property by which the identity of both sender and receiver of the message can be
identified and verified. Authorization is the property by which the user’s properties
can be associated to the information access. Trust is the property of expectation,
confidence, and belief over time. Accounting is the property of calculating the fee for
a service rendered.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is ensured through encryption of the data. To a person a
comprehensible message is written in a particular language. The language can be
English, Hindi, French or any other language. These messages are called plaintext or
cleartext messages. Through encryption (or encipher) we disguise this message in
such a fashion that it is no longer understandable by either a person or a machine. An
encrypted message is called ciphertext. The process of converting a ciphertext back
into plaintext is called decryption (or deciphering).
In cryptography there are two components, viz., algorithms and protocols. A
cryptographic algorithm is a mathematical function used for encryption and
decryption, and protocol relates to the process and procedure of using algorithms.
The art of keeping message secure using the science of encryption and decryption is
called cryptography. People who practise cryptography are called cryptographers.

Integrity
Integrity is to ensure the integrity of the message. Integrity is achieved by adding
additional information into the message. This is done through checksums, message
digests or digital signature.

Authorization
Authorization deals with privileges. In any transaction, there is a subject (a person)
and an object (data items or file). The subject wants some function to be performed
on the object. The privilege to an object is defined through ACL or Access Control
List. Authorization is implemented through policy-based resource accessibility.

Non-repudiation
Authentication and non-repudiation have some overlapping properties.
Authentication is a process by which we validate the identity of the parties involved
in a transaction. In non-repudiation we identify the identity of these parties beyond
any point of doubt. Non-repudiation can be considered as authentication with formal
record. These records will have legal bindings. Like a signature in a cheque, using
digital signatures we achieve non-repudiation.

Availability
Media management is not within the scope of security protocols and algorithms.
However, media management is part of the larger security framework. Media
management is needed to ensure availability of service.

Trust
Trust involves developing a security policy, assigning credentials to entities,
verifying that the credentials fulfill the policy. Also, we need delegation of trust to
third parties, and reasoning about users’ access rights.

Accounting
Accounting is the process by which the usage of the service is metered. Based upon
the usage, the service provider collects the fee either directly from the customer or
through the home network. This will be true even if the user is roaming in a foreign
network, and using the services in the foreign network.

SECURITY TECHNIQUES AND ALGORITHMS

Generally the encryption algorithms are divided into two main groups. These
are symmetric key encryption and public key encryption. In a symmetric key
encryption, the key used for decryption is the same as the key for encryption. In some
cases of symmetric encryption, even the algorithm used for encryption and
decryption is the same. In the case of public key algorithms, the key used for
decryption is different from the key used for encryption.

Symmetric Key Cryptography

In a symmetric key cryptography, the same key is used for both encryption and
decryption. This is like a lock where the same key is used to lock and unlock. In
cryptography, symmetric key algorithms are in use for centuries; that is why
symmetric key algorithms are called conventional or classical algorithms as well. In
this type of encryption, the key is secret and known only to the encrypting (sender)
and decrypting (receiver) parties. Therefore, it is also known as a secret key
algorithm.
In a symmetric key cryptography, there are four components. These are plaintext,
encryption/ decryption algorithm, secret key (key for encryption and decryption), and
the ciphertext. if we make KEYE = KEYD, this becomes a symmetric key algorithm.
There are many symmetric key algorithms. The most popular symmetric key
algorithms are:
DES: Data Encryption Standard is the most widely used, researched and has had the
longest life so far.
3DES: This is a modification of DES. In this algorithm, DES is used three times in
succession.
AES: Advances Encryption Standards, this is the current accepted standard for
encryption by FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) of the US.
Skipjack/FORTEZZA: This is a token-based symmetric algorithm used by defense
personnel in the US.

DES (Data Encryption Standard)

The Data Encryption Standard (DES) is a symmetric-key block cipher
published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A DES key
consists of 64 bits of which 56 bits are randomly generated and used directly by the
algorithm. The other 8 bits are used for error detection and not for encryption.
DES employs the principle of scrambling and substitution. These processes are
repeated a number of times with keys to ensure that the plaintext is completely
transformed into a thoroughly scrambled bit stream. The DES can be divided into the
following major functions. These are:
 Permutations of bits in a block. This is the first and last step in DES. In this
step the 64-bit plaintext block is rearranged through Initial Permutation IP.
This is done through a 64-bit register where the bits of the input block are
 scrambled in a particular fashion. As the last step, the reverse permutation is
done through IP–1.
 A key dependent computation. This includes multiple rounds (iteration) of
transformation through combination of permutation and substitution. This is in
the core of the encryption function.
 Swapping of half blocks of data in each round.
 Key schedule; this breaks the 56-bit key into two 28-bit subkeys and use them
to compute the bits in data blocks. In each iteration, the bits within the subkey
are shifted to generate a new subkey.
 The key-dependent computation is run through 16 rounds. Each round uses the
data from the previous round as input
The beauty of DES algorithm is that the same algorithm is used for both encryption
and decryption.

3DES (Triple DES): With the increase of processing power available in PCs, 56 bits
of key became vulnerable for attack. Therefore, to protect the investment and
increase security 3DES (commonly known as Triple DES) was proposed. 3DES uses
the same DES algorithm three times in succession with different keys.

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a symmetric block cipher chosen
by the U.S. government to protect classified information. AES is implemented in
software and hardware throughout the world to encrypt sensitive data. It is essential
for government computer security, cybersecurity and electronic data protection.

The more popular and widely adopted symmetric encryption algorithm likely to be
encountered nowadays is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). It is found at
least six time faster than triple DES.

A replacement for DES was needed as its key size was too small. With increasing
computing power, it was considered vulnerable against exhaustive key search attack.
Triple DES was designed to overcome this drawback but it was found slow.
The features of AES are as follows −

 Symmetric key symmetric block cipher

 128-bit data, 128/192/256-bit keys
 Stronger and faster than Triple-DES
 Provide full specification and design details
 Software implementable in C and Java

Public Key Cryptography

In public key cryptography we use two different keys, one key for encryption
and another for decryption The development of public key cryptography can be
considered as the greatest advance in the history of cryptography. Public key
cryptosystem is based on mathematical functions rather than permutation and
substitution. The encryption key and the decryption key together form a key pair. One
of these keys from the key pair is made public and the other one kept private or
secret. That is why this algorithm is called public key cryptosystem.
In public key cryptography, there are six components (Fig. 20.3). These are:
 Plaintext: This is the human readable message or data given to the public key
algorithm as input for encryption.
 Ciphertext: This is the scrambled data produced as output of the encryption
algorithm. This is a unique data and depends only on the unique key used for
encryption.
 Encryption Algorithm: This is the algorithm that does computation and various
transformations on the input plaintext. The output of the transformation is too
garbled to be decipherable for an intruder.
 Decryption Algorithm: This algorithm does the reverse function of the
encryption algorithm. This function accepts the ciphertext as input and does
some transformation on the data so that the original data is recovered.
 Public Key: This is one of the keys from the key pair. This key is made public
for anybody to access. This key can be used either for encryption or
decryption.
  Private Key: This is the other key from the key pair. This key is called the
private key, because this is kept secret. This can be used either for encryption
or decryption.

There are three public key cryptosystems most widely used today. These are Diffie
Hellman, RSA, and Elliptic carve.

Key Exchange Algorithm

Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman first introduced the notion of public key
cryptography in 1976. In the Diffie Hellman technique, secret keys are never
exchanged. However, the technique allows two parties to arrive at a secret key
through the usage of public keys. Communicating parties select a pair of private and
public keys. Public keys are exchanged. The shared secret key is generated from the
private key and the public key of the other party.
RSA
RSA is named after its inventors R.L. Rivest, A. Shamir and L. Adleman. It is
a public key algorithm that does encryption/decryption, authentication, and digital
signature. The key length is variable and the most commonly used key size is 512
bits. The key length used in India by CCA (Controller of Certifying Authorities) is
2048 bits. Key length can be large for higher security; the key length can be smaller
for better efficiency. The plaintext data block is always smaller than the key length.
However, the ciphertext block is the same as the key length. RSA is much slower
than symmetric key encryption. That is why RSA is generally not used for payload
encryption. RSA is used primarily for encrypting a secret key for key exchange.

Elliptic Curve
A majority of the products and standards that use the public key cryptography
use RSA for encryption, authentication, and digital signature. Elliptic Curve
Cryptography (ECC) has shown a lot of promise for higher security with lesser
resource. Elliptic curve cryptography was proposed by Victor Miller and Neal
Koblitz in the mid 1980s. Till date there is no subexponential algorithms available to
break ECC. An elliptic curve is the set of solutions (x, y) to an equation of the form
y2 = x3 + ax + b, together with an extra point O which is called the point at infinity.
ECC is believed to offer a similar level of security with a much smaller size of key.
For example, it is claimed that the level of security that 1024 bits of RSA provide
can be achieved by 160 bits of ECC. A 210-bit key of ECC is equivalent to 2048 bits
of RSA. This makes ECC very attractive for small footprint devices like cell phones
or PDAs.

Hashing Algorithms
Hashing functions are one-way functions used for message digests. Hash
function takes an input data of any size and produces an output stream of some fixed
size. The outputs are collision free. This means that two different inputs will not
produce the same output. It is also not possible to derive the input from a known
output. This means that if we have a message digest, it is impossible to derive the
original message. The most commonly used hash functions are MD5 and SHA-1.
MD5
MD5 (Message Digest version 5) hashing algorithm is described in RFC 1321.
The MD5 algorithm is an extension of the MD4 message-digest algorithm and is
slightly slower than MD4. The MD5 algorithm takes a message of arbitrary length as
input and produces a 128-bit ―message digest‖ as output. The algorithm processes
512 bits of the input message in blocks. The digest produced by the algorithm can
also be considered as a ―fingerprint‖ of the message. The MD5 algorithm is intended
for digital signature applications in a public key cryptosystem.

SHA
The Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) was developed by the NIST (National
Institute of Standards and Technology). SHA was first published in 1993. Later in
1995, a revised version of the algorithm was published as SHA-1. SHA processes
input in 512 bits block and produces 160 bits of output.
Like MD5, SHA-1 is also based on MD4 algorithm. As both MD5 and SHA-1 are
based on MD4, they are quite similar in nature. However, as SHA-1 generates a
longer digest of 160 bits compared to 128 bits by MD5, it is considered to be more
secure.

SECURITY MODELS
Mobile Device Security refers to the measures designed to protect sensitive
information stored on and transmitted by laptops, smartphones, tablets, wearables,
and other portable devices. At the root of mobile device security is the goal of
keeping unauthorized users from accessing the enterprise network..

Infrastructure Level Security

Infrastructure level security offers security at the perimeter of the system. This
will primarily include networks and the infrastructure. Infrastructure level security
will include protecting the infrastructure or the network so that attacks from worms,
viruses, and Trojan horses can be prevented. Virtual private network (VPN) is a part
of infrastructure security as well. Infrastructure level security for a mobile computing
environment needs to handle some additional threats compared to a wired network.
For mobile computing network, the last mile access network will be wireless in most
of the situations. Therefore, at the access level, additional infrastructure security is
necessary. An example is encryption in GSM using A5 algorithm.

System Level Security

In system level security we secure our systems to protect our assets. In the
security framework provided by the operating system, shells will be part of system
level security. In authentication challenges during Unix login, or login into a
mainframe computer through a username, password is the system level security.
Access Control list (ACL), File System Security, Memory Security, etc. will also be
part of the system level security. It protects the system from worms, viruses and
Trojan horses. Prevention from other forms of attacks like buffer overflow attacks,
intrusions, etc., can also be part of system level security as also security protocols like
SSL and TLS. There is a concept of a capability-based system, where security is
policy-driven and managed through capability.
Database security is part of system level security. In database security, data in the
database is secured by the database software. This can be encrypting a column in a
row or some special check based on ACL and capability.

Policy Based Security

Security systems implemented for wired networks in any organization are
primarily policy based. Effective security policies make frequent references to
standards and guidelines that exist within an organization. Policy is a set of written
down rules about what is allowed or what is not allowed in the network. Policies are
usually area-specific, covering a single area. In object security, objects will carry
their security signatures and capabilities. This is achieved through the concept of
principal. Therefore, when a device moves from network to network, the device
carries the security requirement and security signature with it. Principal-based
security system is in the process of maturing.
Application Level Security
In a mobile-computing environment we need security at the application level.
Application security looks at the security at the content level. This can also be termed
as Peer to Peer security. The application at the client device will talk to the
application at the server and handle security requirements end-to-end as the content
may demand..

Java Security
Security model provided by Java covers both system level and application
level security. Java system level security is provided through the ―sandbox‖ model.
Sandbox provides a restricted environment for code execution through Java virtual
machine. In the sandbox model, local code is trusted to have full access to system
resources like file system, memory, etc. Java offers tools to facilitate various security-
related operations

Next Generation Networks

According to ITU (International Telecommunication Union), NGN is defined
as ―A packet based network‖ able to provide services including Telecommunication
services and able to make use of multiple broadband, QoS-enabled transport
technologies.
THE CONVERGENCE SCENARIO:
I. Convergence of voice & Data: In NGN, voice (data will converge with voice) using
the (VOIP technology) & transmitted as data over the IP network.
II. Convergence of wireline and wireless: In NGN wireline & wireless will converge.
(Both data & voice will be carried over wireline & wireless). However, the backbone
transmission will continue to remain wireline. There will not be any functional
differentiation between an internet service provider, mobile service provider, or long-
distance carriers.
III. Convergence of circuit switching & packet switching: Any service that demands
for QoS preferably should be over circuit; on contrast any service that can withstand
delay can be over packets. In NGN, circuit switching or packet switching will
converge- circuit switched data and packet switched data will all be carried over
packet switched networks.
IV. Convergence of IT & CT: The internet meets four primary needs of the society:
Communication, Knowledge sharing, Commerce & Entertainment. This convergence
is called Information and Communication Technologies(ICT). Through ICT we are
now moving towards an information based society. ICT will address the need to
access data, information and knowledge from anywhere at any time.
V. Convergence of OSS & BSS: While OSS (Operations Support Systems) manages
the Operation, BSS (Bussiness Support System) manages the financial side of the
bussiness (ie) the billing, accounting, & revenue of the network operater. OSS or BSS
systems will converge where they not only interact real time, they need to make
instant decisions on services related to content.

OFDM (ORTHOGONAL FREQUENCY DIVISION MULTIPLEXING)

OFDM transmission scheme is an optimal version of the multi-carrier data

transmission scheme. OFDM is based on the principle of spreading the data to be
transmitted over a large number of carriers when each of them is being modulated at
a low rate. The carriers are made orthogonal to each other by appropriately choosing
the frequency spacing between them. Orthogonality helps in elimination of cross-talk
between the sub-channels and the use of inter-carrier guard bands.
The data to be transmitted on an OFDM signal is spread across the carriers of the
signal wherein each carrier takes part of the payload. This immensely reduces the
data rate taken by each carrier. This is effected by adding a guard band time or guard
interval into the system. This makes sure that data is sampled only when the signal is
stable and no new delayed signals arrive that would alter the timing and phase of the
signal.
Although OFDM requires costly circuitry and is sensitive to frequency
synchronization issues, it has the following major advantages:
  High spectral efficiency.
 Facilitation of transmitter macro-diversity.
 Robustness against Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) and severe channel
circumstances.

WIRELESS ASYNCHRONOUS TRANSFER MODE

Wireless Asynchronous Transfer Mode (WATM) adds up the mobility
advantages to the ones provided by ATM networks. The mobility aspect forces a
decoupling of the normal mapping of node and switch port. In Wireless ATM, a
wireless access point connects the set of wireless nodes while servicing on a single
port of ATM switch. As it is known, ATM technology offers speed,
scalability, multimedia integration and uniform API features with good cost
performance. To develop WATM, the following are needed:
 Protocol extensions to support mobility within an ATM infrastructure.
 Radio access technology necessary for seamless delivery of ATM services to
mobile terminals.
Wireless/Mobility protocols are incorporated into standard ATM stack keeping the
following as mandatory:
 ATM cell as basic unit in both wireless and backbone.
 Standard ATM services at transport interface.
 Custom medium access and data link control for wireless segment.
 Mobility extensions to ATM signaling: handoff and location management.

The following figure depicts the WATM system. It brings out the individual
contribution of ATM switches, mobility protocols and WATM radio access.
Normally, Wireless ATM systems can be constructed via hardware/software plug-ins
to the existing ATM switches.
The following three are the basic service scenarios for WATM:
1. Providing mobility support in IP
: ATM connection to appear as a tunnel to IP
: Mobility of tunnel endpoint oblivious to IP
2. Mobile Telephony
: ATM base station terminates GSM radio protocol
: Translates GSM call setup to UNI signaling
: Bridging GSM air interface and ATM data path
3. Wireless ATM systems
: End-to-End ATM connection to mobile endpoints
: Broadband wireless access to the tune of 25 Mbps

MULTI PROTOCOL LABEL SWITCHING (MPLS)

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) as described in RFC 3031 MPLS
operates at an OSI Model layer that is generally considered to lie between
traditional definitions of Layer 2 (data link layer) and Layer 3 (network layer) to
perform smarter routing, and thus is often referred to as a ―Layer 2.5‖ protocol.
MPLS is a packet forwarding technology which makes the use of labels for data
forwarding decisions. It provides a unified data carriage service for different traffic
categories like IP packets, frames of ATM and SONET, etc.
MPLS to run over any link layer technology while supporting both unicast and
multicast traffic flows.
 MPLS to be scalable enough to support Internet growth while being
compatible with the IETF Integrated Services Model and its related protocols.
 MPLS to support current IP network operations
Label Switched Paths (LSPs). LSPs can be created by concatenating one or more
label switched hops which, in turn, provision a packet to be forwarded from one
Label Switching Router (LSR) to another LSR across the whole MPLS domain.
MPLS defines standard based IP signaling and label distribution protocols along with
extensions to existing protocols. This helps multi-vendor interoperability. With
MPLS, the network layer header analysis is done when the packet enters its domain
and this label inspection drives subsequent packet forwarding across the whole of
domain. Figure depicts an overview of MPLS functioning.
Currently, MPLS has the following major applications:
 Traffic Engineering : MPLS helps Traffic Engineering in view of the
unprecedented growth in demand for network resources and real-time nature
of IP applications. MPLS facilitates Traffic Engineering to allow ISPs to move
traffic flows away from the shortest path on to potentially less congested
physical paths across the network.
 Class of Service (CoS) : MPLS offers great flexibility to the ISPs in terms of
different types of services that they can provide to their customers. The
precedence bits are used only to classify packets into one of various classes of
service. Then onwards, ISPs can determine the specific type of service that is
supported by each service classification bits.
 Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) : MPLS lets ISPs offer VPN services by
providing a flexible and powerful tunneling mechanism

5G communication
The 5G technology is expected to provide a new (much wider than the previous
one) frequency bands along with the wider spectral bandwidth per frequency channel.
As of now, the predecessors (generations) mobile technologies have evidenced
substantial increase in peak bitrate. Then — how is 5G different from the previous
one (especially 4G)? The answer is — it is not only the increase in bitrate made 5G
distinct from the 4G, but rather 5G is also advanced in terms of −
 High increased peak bit rate
 Larger data volume per unit area (i.e. high system spectral efficiency)
 High capacity to allow more devices connectivity concurrently and
instantaneously
 Lower battery consumption
 Better connectivity irrespective of the geographic region, in which you are
 Larger number of supporting devices
 Lower cost of infrastructural development
 5G – Architecture

Architecture of 5G is highly advanced, its network elements and various

terminals are characteristically upgraded to afford a new situation. Likewise, service
providers can implement the advance technology to adopt the value-added services
easily.
However, upgradeability is based upon cognitive radio technology that includes
various significant features such as ability of devices to identify their geographical
location as well as weather, temperature, etc. Cognitive radio technology acts as a
transceiver (beam) that perceptively can catch and respond radio signals in its
operating environment. Further, it promptly distinguishes the changes in its
environment and hence respond accordingly to provide uninterrupted quality service.

Architecture of 5G
As shown in the following image, the system model of 5G is entirely IP based
model designed for the wireless and mobile networks.

The system comprising of a main user terminal and then a number of independent
and autonomous radio access technologies. Each of the radio technologies is
considered as the IP link for the outside internet world. The IP technology is designed
exclusively to ensure sufficient control data for appropriate routing of IP packets
related to a certain application connections i.e. sessions between client applications
and servers somewhere on the Internet

Security for 5G communication

5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard
after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. 5G enables a new kind of network that is
designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines,
objects, and devices.

SECURITY ISSUES

Increased attack surface: With millions and even billions more connected devices,
5G makes it possible for larger and more dangerous attacks. Current and future
vulnerabilities of the existing internet infrastructure are only exacerbated. The risk of
more sophisticated botnets, privacy violations, and faster data extraction can escalate
with 5G.
More IoT, more problems: IoT devices are inherently insecure; security is often not
built-in by design. Each insecure IoT device on an organization’s networks represents
another potential hole that an attacker can expose.
Decreased network visibility: With 5G, our networks will only expand and become
more usable by mobile users and devices. This means much more network traffic to
manage. But without a robust wide area network (WAN) security solution like Secure
Access Service Edge (SASE) in place, companies may not be able to gain the
network traffic visibility required to identify abnormalities or attacks.
Increased supply chain and software vulnerabilities: Currently and for the
foreseeable future, 5G supply chains are limited. Vulnerabilities exist — particularly
as devices are rushed to market — increasing the potential for faulty and insecure
components. Compared to traditional mobile networks, 5G is also more reliant on
software, which elevates the risk of exploitation of the network infrastructure.
10 Pillars of 5G

1. Evolution of existing RATs

2. Hyperdense Small-Cell Deployment
3. Self- Organizing Network
4. Machine Type Communication
5. Developing Millimeter wave RATs.
6. Redesigning Backhaul links
7. Energy Efficiency
8. Allocation of New Spectrum for 5G
9. Spectrum Sharing
10. Ran Virtualization
 1. . Evolution of existing RATs

5G will hardly be a specific RAT, rather it is likely that it will bea c o l l e c t i o n

of R ATs i n c lu d i n g the evolution of the existing Ones
complemented with novel revolutionary designs.

2. Hyperdense Small-Cell Deployment

In general, there are two different ways to realize HetNet:

Overlaying a cellular system with small cells ofthe same technology, that is, with mi
cro ,pico , or femtocells;
Overlaying with small cells of different technologies in contrast to just the cellular
one(e.g. High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), LTE,WiFi, and so on)
Capacity scales linearly with the number of added small cells. That is, the
capacity doubles every time we double the number of small
cells. However, reducing the cell size increases the inter cell interference and the
required control signalling

3. Self- Organizing Network

As the population of the small cells increases,SONgains

m o r e momentum. Almost 80% of the wireless traffic is generated indoors.
To carry this huge traffic, we need hyper dense small-cell deployments in homes
installed and maintained mainly by the users out of the control of the
operators. These indoor small cells need to be self-configurable and installed in a
plug and play manner.
Furthermore, they need to have SON capability to intelligently adapt
themselves to the neighboring small cells to minimize
i n t e r - c e l l interference.
 4. Machine Type Communication (MTC)

Machine type communication (MTC) is an emerging

A p p l i c a t i o n wh e r e e i t h e r o n e o r b o t h o f t h e e n d u s e r s o f t h e
c o m mu n i c a t i o n session involve machines. MTC imposes two main challenges on the
network: The number of devices that need to be connected is tremendously large.
The accelerating demand for real time and remote control of mobile devices (such as
vehicles) through the network.

5. Developing Millimeter-Wave RATs

Extemly High Frequency EHF is

t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Telecommunication Union (ITU) designation for the
band of radio f r e q u e n c i e s i n t h e e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c s p e c t r u m f r o m 3 0 t o 3 0 0
gigahertz(GHz).
Radio waves in this band have wavelengths from ten to one
millimeter, giving it the name millimeter band or millimeter wave, s o m e t i m e s a b b r e v i a t e d
M M W o r m m W . c a n b e u s e d f o r h i g h - speed wireless broadband communications.

6. Redesigning Backhaul Links

Redesigning backhaul links is an important aspect of upgrading to 5G
networks, as it is a pillar of the technology. Backhaul links refer to the links
between the base station and the core network. These links are critical in
providing high-speed data transfer rates and low latency, which are the key
requirements of 5G networks.
To redesign backhaul links for 5G, there are several approaches that can be
taken. Here are some of them:
1. Fiber-optic links: Fiber-optic links are one of the most popular methods for
redesigning backhaul links for 5G. Fiber-optic links can provide extremely
high data transfer rates and low latency, which are ideal for 5G networks.
They are also more reliable than traditional copper-based links, making them
less prone to outages and other issues.
 2. Microwave links: Microwave links can be used to provide backhaul
connectivity in areas where fiber-optic links are not available or feasible.
Microwave links can provide high data transfer rates, but they can be affected
by weather conditions, such as rain or fog.
3. Millimeter-wave links: Millimeter-wave links are another option for
redesigning backhaul links for 5G. These links operate in the high-frequency
spectrum and can provide extremely high data transfer rates. However, they
have limited range and are easily affected by obstructions, such as buildings or
trees.

7. ENERGY EFFICIENCY
5G adds more capacity, more ‖space‖ to use, which means that there's more
room for everyone and that their devices get higher data speeds
The test pilots show that the 5G technology is up to 90% more efficient than
4G in terms of energy consumption per unit of traffic
The energy efficiency of 2G was 60%, meaning of every 10 watts consumed, six
were used to transmit data. This efficiency rating dropped to 20% in 4G systems, and
just 10% in 5G systems, meaning 9 watts are wasted for every one used to transmit
data.

[Link] OF NEW SPECTRUM

Another critical issue of 5G is the allocation of new spectrum to fuel wireless
communications in the next decade.
The 1000x traffic surge can hardly be managed by only improving the spectral
efficiency or by hyper‐densification.
In fact, the leading telecom companies such as Qualcomm and NSN believe that
apart from technology innovations, 10 times more spectrum is needed to meet the
demand.
9. SPECTRUM SHARING
Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) is an important part of the 5G roadmap
because it makes it possible for a mobile operator to flexibly allocate spectrum
across low-, mid-, and high-band frequencies and dynamically switch between
LTE and 5G New Radio coverage based upon their network traffic demands.
Innovative spectrum allocation models (different from the traditional licensed
or unlicensed allocation) can be adopted to overcome the existing regulatory
limitations.
Plenty of radio spectrum has traditionally been allocated for military radars
where the spectrum is not fully utilized all the time (24/7) or in the entire
geographic region.

[Link] virtualization
The last but not least critical enabler of 5G is the virtualization of the
RAN, allowing sharing of wireless infrastructure among multiple operators .
Network virtualization needs to be pushed from the wired core network (e.g.
switches and routers)towards the RAN.
For network virtualization, the intelligence needs to be taken out of the RAN
hardware and controlled in a centralized manner using a software brain, which
can be done in different network layers.
Multi-mode RANs supporting 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi can be adopted where different
radio interfaces can be turned on or off through the central software control
unit to improve the EE or the Quality of Experience (QoE) for the end users.