E2AP (E2 Application Protocol)

Also known as: E2 Application Protocol

E2AP is the O-RAN application-layer protocol on the E2 interface that carries procedures between the Near-RT RIC and E2 nodes: RIC subscription, RIC indication, RIC control request, service update, and node configuration. It is transported over SCTP with mandatory TLS/IPsec and is the vehicle by which xApps observe and act on the RAN.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkProtocols and Standards

E2AP 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.

Telecom security is written into standards from 3GPP, GSMA, ETSI, IETF and ITU-T. Understanding which body owns which specification, and how they interlock, is essential for both design and audit work.

To place E2AP in the wider telecom-security picture, review 5GNR, 6G, ADSL, DOCSIS, EAP and ETSI — each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

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