Generations

Network Security

As advanced as 5G is, the technology still faces challenges in the area of network security. Many attack vectors open up for criminals when IoT solutions based on 5G technology are implemented that involve a very large number of terminal devices communicating on the network. To prevent attacks by cybercriminals, companies need to establish a security strategy right from the start and reliably implement requirements that protect subscribers and use end-to-end encryption and network segmentation.

The zero trust strategy is ideal, in that it basically makes no distinction between users, devices, and services inside and outside your network. In principle, it trusts no one, checks all data traffic, and requires that all participants authenticate. In practice, companies often lack the personnel capacity or the know-how to implement security effectively. This gap can be closed by automating security, shifting the perspective away from "security by function" to holistic "security by design."

This principle additionally integrates security into processes with written definitions (e.g., for risk analysis or quality assurance) and maps roles, responsibilities, and activities within the organization, as well as the required technologies. Such a well thought out security concept is required from the outset, starting from the designated task of the technology, through analysis of the prerequisites for process-compliant applications by the user, among other things. If companies keep this necessity in mind, they can use 5G technology to build their own corporate campus network that is precisely tailored to future-proof IoT applications and their individual security needs.

Conclusions

5G campus networks offer added value not only in industrial manufacturing and logistics but also in many other areas. For example, schools, universities, and other educational institutions can expand digital learning with fast connections and high data volumes, as well as explore advanced application concepts of 5G in cooperation with partners from industry.

The same applies to agriculture and forestry, where more data on weather and the climate can be collected to deploy machinery in a more targeted way. There are virtually no limits to what you can imagine happening when it comes to application scenarios, because many users can benefit from private 5G networks thanks to the low latency, high data rates, and low susceptibility to interference.