How Enterprises Can Secure Their Large-Scale 5G IoT Deployments

Summary

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a foundational technology of the future, and its worldwide adoption continues to rise. Each day, more enterprises roll out large-scale IoT deployments, with some of the largest spanning across countries and even the globe. Previously, cellular technologies like 4G LTE powered these deployments. Now, 5G is taking center stage. 

5G offers unprecedented speed, greater controllability, reduced latency and increased bandwidth to IoT operations. These benefits enhance IoT automation–enabling new use cases like autonomous vehicles, industrial robots and smart grids. While organizations are rightly eager to scale their deployments, it is worth noting that rapid 5G IoT adoption is expanding and complicating the cybersecurity threat landscape. 
 

What makes 5G IoT security different

For starters, 5G IoT networks have higher bandwidth, which enables them to support huge numbers of connected devices. While beneficial, adding more devices will invariably expand the attack surface. Every new IoT device added to the network is another point for a bad actor to exploit and gain access. 
 
Another security challenge is that 5G IoT services don’t fit neatly into the traditional security models optimized for 4G LTE cellular. For example, traditional models assumed centralized network architecture and limited device mobility. However, 5G IoT involves massive numbers of decentralized, low-power devices communicating over edge networks–rendering perimeter-based security controls and centralized authentication mechanisms ineffective. 

Additionally, 5G’s increased bandwidth, low latency, faster speeds and greater capacity (undeniable benefits for IoT) can potentially amplify the effectiveness of specific attacks and tactics, especially within Denial of Service attacks. 

Securing large-scale IoT deployments: Best practices 

For enterprises to enjoy the benefits of their large-scale 5G IoT deployments, they will need to protect them against evolving cyberthreats. At a fundamental level, organizations should secure their IoT devices by adhering to established cybersecurity best practices and standards (such as NIST SP 800-213, ETSI 303 645, and EN 18031) to mitigate common cyber threats. These guidelines cover essential areas such as robust data encryption, secure authentication mechanisms and effective security protocols. They also encompass procedural measures, including regular firmware updates, vulnerability management and comprehensive security training for employees to mitigate risks stemming from human error.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning-based threat detection capabilities are likewise valuable investments for next-generation IoT deployments. Various cybersecurity guidelines for IoT recommend implementing network monitoring and resilience capabilities to identify and mitigate common threat scenarios, depending on the specific application use case.

Another hallmark of a large-scale 5G IoT security strategy is a centralized IoT cloud platform: a unified interface that can manage IoT deployments at scale for device lifecycle management which enhances visibility and security monitoring on the whole IoT deployment. Because a typical large-scale IoT deployment consists of thousands of IoT-connected devices spread across vast geographies, processes like on-site security updates are impractical if not impossible. 
 

Using new 5G technologies and capabilities to bolster security 

In addition to these best practices, companies can leverage new 5G technologies and capabilities to improve network security. Mutual authentication technology, for example, helps users identify various devices on a 5G network. Many of these solutions can run over Wi-Fi as well. Likewise, 5G systems have enhanced data privacy. Since 5G systems are predominantly based on software and cloud infrastructure, with software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV), they offer enhanced monitoring capabilities compared to technologies that depend on 4G or earlier generations.  

Other 5G capabilities organizations should use include network slicing and private 5G networks. The former is a technique that allows users to divide networks into separate virtual networks, thereby enhancing efficiency and optimizing network resources while isolating traffic and services to reduce the risk of widespread attacks. Private 5G networks provide a restricted environment that offers data privacy and resilience, making them perfect for large-scale IoT deployments in B2B and specific vertical markets. 
 

Remember: Always evaluate third-party vendors

Companies stand to gain a considerable competitive advantage by protecting their IoT deployments. However, regardless of whether they follow all best practices and avoid pitfalls, their large-scale 5G IoT deployments will not be secure if they use hardware (like modules) or software (like platforms) from third-party vendors that do not adhere to security standards. 

Recent data indicates that 68% of organizations encountered a supply chain cyberattack in 2022, with an average cost per incident of $4.3 million. Effective supply chain risk management is a critical component of business operations and warrants attention at the board level. It is essential for enterprises to assess potential vendors as part of a comprehensive supply chain risk management approach.