Authentication

The process of verifying the claimed identity of a user, device, or system. In telecommunications, authentication mechanisms range from SIM-based (2G) to AKA (3G/4G/5G), biometric, and certificate-based approaches.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkIdentity and SubscriberSecurity Controls

Authentication in context

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

Subscriber identifiers (IMSI, SUPI, MSISDN, IMEI) are the anchor for authentication, charging, lawful interception and fraud analytics. Any protocol or interface that leaks a permanent identifier is treated as a serious privacy defect, which is why 5G introduced SUCI concealment on the air interface.

To place Authentication in the wider telecom-security picture, review AKA Linkability Attack, IMSI Catcher (Cell Site Simulator), USIM, 2G, OTA and WCDMA.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

  • SMS Firewall SMS spam, phishing, A2P bypass and MAP-layer SMS filtering.
  • Signaling Firewall Unified SS7/Diameter/GTP/SMS signaling firewall framework.
  • 5G Security 5G SBA, SEPP, SUCI, 5G-AKA, N32 and service-based interface security.
  • 5G NEF Security Network Exposure Function security in the 5G core.

More from the TelcoSec Glossary

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