NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT)

NB-IoT 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.

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

To place NB-IoT in the wider telecom-security picture, review TAC, 2G, ADSL, OTA, 6G and Cleartext (Plain Text): each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

• TAC
• 2G
• ADSL
• OTA
• 6G
• Cleartext (Plain Text)
• CPE
• MCC

Related topic hubs

• NAS Security Non-Access Stratum security, integrity and ciphering algorithms.
• Diameter Security 4G/LTE Diameter threats across IPX/roaming and DEA defenses.
• Diameter Attacks S6a IDR/PUR/CLR abuse, subscriber tracking, LTE signaling attacks.
• LTE Security Training Training on 4G/LTE core, Diameter, NAS and RRC 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.