Metadata

Metadata is descriptive information about a communication, calling and called numbers, time, duration, cell ID, IP addresses, message size, distinct from the content. In telecom it is the substance of call detail records and is highly revealing of behaviour and relationships, which is why metadata retention is a regulated and often controversial topic.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkSecurity ControlsInternet and Routing

Metadata 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.

Security controls span signaling firewalls (SS7/Diameter/GTP screening), transport encryption (IPsec, TLS, PRINS), identity and access on OSS/BSS, and monitoring at both packet and log level. Controls are audited against GSMA FS.11/FS.19/FS.20/FS.36.

To place Metadata in the wider telecom-security picture, review EDGE, Satellite Backhaul, 1G, 2G, 3G and 6G — each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

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.