Trend Micro and GSMA Research Reveals Private Network Security Concerns and Opportunities
Trend Micro, specializing in cybersecurity solutions, and GSMA Intelligence released new research that reveals a large gap in the security capacity of mobile operators, which in many cases is not yet being filled by industry partnerships.
In the 5G era, and in a rapidly changing digital landscape, operators could enhance their security credentials with partners capable of protecting private networks.
According to the study, 68% of operators sell private wireless networks to corporate customers and the rest plan to commercialize this modality by 2025. Almost half (45%) of operators consider it extremely important to invest in security to achieve long-term business revenue goals. To this end, operators' 77% intend to offer security as part of their private network solutions.
“The study reveals a potential disconnect in the way operators view security,” says Ed Cabrera, director of Cybersecurity at Trend Micro. “It’s obvious they understand the risks and have a very real desire to address cybersecurity concerns. However, some teams are trying to solve the problem without the expertise from security experts or specialist suppliers. This is like hiring a plumber to fix your electrical network: he may be able to identify faults or make recommendations, but he is not necessarily equipped to solve the problem.”
The report further found that:
• 51% of operators see edge computing (Multi-Access Edge Computing or MEC) as a fundamental part of their future business strategy. Only 18% of operators currently guarantee the safety of their endpoints or from the edge of your cellular network.
• 48% of operators cite a lack of knowledge or adequate tools to discover vulnerabilities as one of the main 5G security challenges.
• 39% have a limited group of security experts.
• 41% fight against network virtualization vulnerabilities.
The role that operators can play in securing the private network ecosystem is particularly important in the 5G Era. New threat vectors will materialize companies' focus on adopting new communication technologies (5G, edge computing, cloud computing, private wireless, IoT) to digitally transform your business. Operators are in a unique position to address this and profit from supporting their corporate customers. To take on this role, they must expand their credentials or partner with security, cloud or IT vendors with the expertise to fill any gaps in their security portfolios.
To read the report “Securing Private Networks in the 5G Era”, click ON HERE.
It is worth highlighting that it is based on two surveys by GSMA Intelligence:
• The search GSMA Intelligence Operators in Focus 2021, which taps 100 operator decision-makers from around the world to understand their views on the company's opportunity.
• The search GSMA Intelligence Enterprise in Focus 2020, which covers 2,873 companies across eight industry verticals and 18 countries.
