Gemalto enhances protection for 5G networks against cyber-attacks

Gemalto, a global digital security provider, announced that it is bolstering protection against cyber-attacks for the new generation of cloud-based virtualised networks being planned and deployed with Intel technology.

This new initiative combines the Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) trusted 'enclave', deployed in the company's industry-leading cloud server CPUs, with Gemalto's advanced SafeNet Data Protection On Demand security software services to create a robust processor-level security solution for virtualised networks.

With physical network functions being migrated to the cloud resulting in increased 'attack surfaces' for malicious forces, one of the challenges for the mobile industry is to ensure identity protection, confidentiality and integrity of these newly virtualised network functions. Addressing this, the combined solution secures virtualised networks from core to multi-access edge by ensuring virtual functions and applications residing in network slices are protected and isolated. Preventing confidential data leakage is vital to ensure that new 5G applications, including IoT and critical communications, achieve the highest standards of reliability, safety and privacy.

"Mobile operators cannot afford to let security weaknesses undermine the compelling commercial benefits of 5G and virtualised networks.Our work with Intel will give organisations deploying cutting-edge, cloud-based virtualised networks all the tools necessary to address the profound dangers posed by the consequences of increasing data breaches or network disruption in our increasingly connected world," said Todd Moore, senior vice president Encryption Products for Gemalto.

On a related note, Gemalto's SafeNet Data Protection On-Demand is a cloud-based, security-as-a-service platform that supports a diverse range of encryption, key management and hardware security module services. It offers developers a single gateway through which software solutions can be implemented direct to Intel SGX, the highly protected enclaves embedded in the architecture of the company's processors for cloud servers.