Vulnerability Assessment

Vulnerability Assessment in context

The mobile core is where subscriber sessions, mobility and policy live. 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. Core exposure is the difference between a single-subscriber leak and a fleet-wide breach.

Signaling protocols carry the control-plane instructions that set up calls, register subscribers, hand over sessions and route SMS. SS7, Diameter, GTP-C and SIP are the four dominant families, and interconnect exposure of any of them is treated by GSMA FS.11 / FS.19 / FS.20 as a top-tier telecom risk.

To place Vulnerability Assessment in the wider telecom-security picture, review Telecom Forensics, Threat Hunting (Telecom), Telecom Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Management, MSSP and Telecom Reconnaissance.

Related terms

• Telecom Forensics
• Threat Hunting (Telecom)
• Telecom Penetration Testing
• Vulnerability Management
• MSSP
• Telecom Reconnaissance
• NDR
• NTA

Related topic hubs

• Signaling Firewall Unified SS7/Diameter/GTP/SMS signaling firewall framework.
• SS7 Penetration Testing Interconnect pentest methodology for SS7 signaling.
• Diameter Attacks S6a IDR/PUR/CLR abuse, subscriber tracking, LTE signaling attacks.
• SS7 Security SS7/MAP/CAP/SCCP attacks and defenses across 2G/3G interconnect.

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.