Palo Alto suggests that private 5G networks bring efficiency, but asserts that ensuring the security of private 5G resources can pose significant difficulties for businesses.
As the implementation of private 5G enterprise networks soars, so too do concerns regarding security. The complicated architecture of a private 5G network can expose a far greater potential attack area than other wireless technologies.
To protect business 5G installations, Palo Alto Networks is collaborating with a variety of vendors to offer combined security products and services.
Though private 5G networks can deliver immense efficiency, their protection can be a complex task for organizations of all magnitudes, states Anand Oswal, the senior vice president and general manager at Palo Alto. “The architecture of the private 5G network becomes progressively more intricate as it interfaces with more devices, networks, and services such as IT, OT, IoT. This wide attack range can introduce new threat vectors and necessitate new comprehensive security management systems,” added Oswal.
Organizations might find it challenging to handle all the points of enforcement spread across their radio, roaming, and internet infrastructure, Mr. Oswald explained. Managing those threat vectors – from command and control connections to DNS exploits, ransomware, malware, data leakages, and so forth – can be quite a task.
In private 5G settings, Palo Alto discovered that up to 90% of threats come from highly mobile devices like laptops or from sensors and other IoT devices that aren’t actively managed. “As our customers make the transition to digital operations, we strive to ensure that security is an integral part from the beginning rather than an added concern later,” said Oswald.
Palo Alto is in the process of building a vendor ecosystem that will incorporate their own security solutions with the private 5G security package offered by Palo Alto, providing more comprehensive coverage. The current list of cooperating vendors includes:
Palo Alto has also joined forces with other vendors like NTT Data, Druid, and Ataya to develop integrated private 5G security solutions. Additionally, they recently announced collaboration with UScellular to deliver 5G security services based on zero-trust principles.
