Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity 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.

Telecom threats range from opportunistic SMS phishing and SIM swap to nation-state grade location tracking and lawful-interception abuse. The common thread is that most attacks exploit the inherited trust model of legacy signaling. SS7 and Diameter were designed for a closed operator community that no longer exists.

To place Cybersecurity in the wider telecom-security picture, review CVE, Incident Response, IoT, RF, CDMA and NRA.

Related terms

• CVE
• Incident Response
• IoT
• RF
• CDMA
• NRA
• OT
• Carrier Aggregation

Related topic hubs

• SS7 Security Training Training on SS7 threats, MAP/CAP attacks and defenses.
• Diameter Attacks S6a IDR/PUR/CLR abuse, subscriber tracking, LTE signaling attacks.
• 5G Security Training Training on 5G core, SBA, N32, SUCI and radio security.
• IMS Security Training Training on IMS, VoLTE/VoNR, SIP and RCS security.

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.