NRF Poisoning

In telecom networks, NRF Poisoning is an attack where an adversary registers forged or manipulated Network Function profiles in the 5G Network Repository Function so that consumer NFs discover and call attacker-controlled producers. It is mitigated by strict mutual TLS, OAuth2 client authentication, NF profile validation, and segmentation of the SBA management plane.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkCore NetworkSecurity Controls

NRF Poisoning 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.

The mobile core carries subscriber sessions, mobility and policy. In 4G it is the EPC (MME, HSS, S/PGW); in 5G it is the Service-Based Architecture with AMF, SMF, UPF, AUSF, UDM and the NRF.

To place NRF Poisoning in the wider telecom-security picture, review Cipher, HTTP, Inter-Network Function Authentication, OAuth2 in 5G Core, SMPP and 1G — each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

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Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.