O-Cloud (O-RAN Cloud Platform)

Also known as: O-RAN Cloud

O-Cloud is the cloud infrastructure (compute, storage, network, accelerators) that hosts O-RAN Cloud Network Functions such as O-CU, O-DU and Near-RT RIC. It is managed by the SMO over the O2 interface and typically implemented as a Kubernetes-based platform on commodity servers with hardware acceleration for L1 processing. O-Cloud security spans host hardening, workload isolation, image supply chain, secure boot and the O2 trust boundary.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkCore NetworkCloud and Virtualization

O-Cloud 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 O-Cloud in the wider telecom-security picture, review SBOM, SMO, 5G, 5G SA, 5G NSA and A5/3 — 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.