When 5G technology was introduced in late 2019, few companies understood how to use it or what applications could benefit from it. Similarly, the consumer market was slightly intrigued, but many devices are still satisfied with his operation on 4G bandwidth. Now, in the second half of 2023, the outlook is very different, especially for the Middle East.
according to Report by GSMA Intelligence, by 2025, there will be approximately 50 million 5G connections in the Middle East and Africa (ME&A) region and approximately 20 million 5G connections in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The report predicts that GCC Arab countries will have 5G adoption of 16% of all mobile connections by 2025, slightly above the global average, compared to 15% globally.
The rollout of 5G across the Middle East did not happen overnight. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed many deployment plans across the region, but most of these deployments are back on track in 2023. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia are rapidly launching 5G networks and selling attractive mobile packages that encourage consumers to choose 5G devices.
The transition to 5G is timely and important as large-scale projects are being rolled out in these countries for consumer and commercial markets. But this faster bandwidth and exciting new technology brings unique benefits. series of security issuesthere are concerns that stricter oversight and regulation is needed to keep 5G as secure as previous bandwidths.
5G aims to solve pressing problems in the Middle East
5G isn’t just about streaming 4K video in the palm of your hand.communication provider Etisalat recently announced a partnership with Response Plus Holding. Introducing 5G-equipped ambulances to the UAE. This speeds connectivity between first responders and healthcare workers, enabling remote diagnosis and real-time updates before patients arrive for treatment.
Ambitious in Saudi Arabia neom project I will host 5G network using STC, which aims to operate segments such as the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, virtual reality, smart homes, self-driving vehicles, and security services. This 5G network will provide the advanced network infrastructure needed to overcome the bottlenecks and bandwidth limitations of current 4G hardware.
5G security concerns grow
The most important question is: What complex security implications could this rapid 5G rollout have? For organizations to continuously protect and monitor their hardware and software, they need to think about it from many different angles.
For example, there are a limited number of 5G hardware manufacturers. A security flaw in one network device can affect hundreds of other linked devices and remote networks using the same hardware. The ability of hardware manufacturers to deploy security updates in a timely manner is critical to ensuring that large networks of devices do not become susceptible to further security breaches.
Similar issues can occur when using equipment from multiple vendors. If standards are not properly implemented to allow all devices to communicate with each other in a secure manner, it can leave room for backdoors and similar security vulnerabilities.
One of the main benefits of 5G is its flexibility to scale as needed, primarily through the virtualization of various services, rather than requiring separate physical servers or devices. Although this makes deployment easier, it introduces new areas of potential problems. If a virtual machine (VM) is compromised, it can be difficult to track and isolate, and worse, it can spread damage to other connected VMs and devices.
5G’s interconnectivity and bandwidth means distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks can generate larger data packets during an attack, making it more difficult to track and effectively shut down. It means that.
Minimum standards for securing 5G networks
Due to the complexity of 5G network security, ensuring security is not a simple one-and-done approach. At a minimum, all inter- and intra-network traffic must be properly encrypted at a higher level than the existing 4G network.
Next, new 5G network architectures must be leveraged to provide adequate application layer security to protect against eavesdropping and related attacks. Appropriate security measures, such as containerization, must also be applied to virtual environments to prevent physical resources from being hijacked by security threats.
These are just some of the early precautions to take towards 5G implementation, as more and more countries in the Middle East look to leverage superior network capabilities to improve the lives of their citizens.
