5G NSA (5G Non-Standalone)

5G NSA in context

The radio access network is where mobile devices attach to the operator's infrastructure. Attacks in this layer include IMSI catching, rogue base stations and downgrade attacks; defenses rest on mutual authentication, integrity-protected signaling and Open RAN supply-chain hygiene.

The mobile core carries subscriber sessions, mobility and policy. In 4G it is the EPC (MME, HSS, S/PGW); in 5G it is the Service-Based Architecture with AMF, SMF, UPF, AUSF, UDM and the NRF.

To place 5G NSA in the wider telecom-security picture, review 5G SA, MVNO, 5G, Base Station (BS), Diameter and GPRS: each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

• 5G SA
• MVNO
• 5G
• Base Station (BS)
• Diameter
• GPRS
• Man-in-the-Middle (MITM)
• UPF

Related topic hubs

• Diameter Attacks S6a IDR/PUR/CLR abuse, subscriber tracking, LTE signaling attacks.
• 5G Penetration Testing Pentesting the 5G core, SBA, SEPP, and gNB interfaces.
• LTE Security Training Training on 4G/LTE core, Diameter, NAS and RRC security.
• Diameter Security 4G/LTE Diameter threats across IPX/roaming and DEA defenses.

More from the TelcoSec Glossary

Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.