CTIA Unveils 5G Security Test Bed for Commercial 5G Networks

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CTIA opened its 5G Security Testbed (STB) on Wednesday. CTIA created the STB in partnership with organizations across wireless, tech, and academia to test 5G security recommendations in real-world conditions using commercial-grade equipment and facilities. The 5G Security Test Bed’s founding members—AT&T, Ericsson, T-Mobile, UScellular, MITRE, and the University of Maryland—contribute industry expertise that strengthens the STB’s ability to enhance the wireless security ecosystem and ensure strong protections in 5G networks, said CTIA.

5G is the most secure generation of wireless technology, with enhanced protections built into it, according to the association. The STB was created to build on this foundation, testing use cases, making recommendations, and further bolstering 5G’s security to benefit consumers, enterprises, and government.  Continue Reading

Governed by industry leaders, guided by government priorities, and managed by CTIA, the testbed is the latest in a series of steps the industry has taken to make 5G the most secure network ever. Its founding members developed the initiative through their participation in CTIA’s Cybersecurity Working Group.

The STB primarily focuses on verifying the FCC’s Communications Security Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) VII recommendations for 5G networks. The STB will also be an industry resource for CSRIC VIII, focused on 5G security. The group re-launched in June and includes CTIA SVP/CTO Tom Sawanobori among its members. “This initiative will complement and bolster the FCC’s 5G security efforts, validate its recommendations, and demonstrate 5G security features, with cross-industry groups working collaboratively to test use cases and products on an actual 5G network using real-world hardware and software,” said Sawanobori.

The test bed’s first configuration, built with Ericsson equipment, mirrors the initial setup for most 5G networks — a 5G radio access network is connected to a 4G core to create a 5G non-standalone network. In 2022, the STB’s configuration will shift to a 5G standalone network using a 5G core, which will enable testing of 5G SA use cases.

The STB is located at a secure lab facility at the University of Maryland, leveraging personnel with experience in wireless security. The wireless core network is hosted in Northern Virginia by MITRE, a not-for-profit research and development company. 

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