5G: Security researchers discover 11 security holes

5G: Security researchers discover 11 security holes

London, 14.11.2019

Security researchers have identified 11 security holes in the design with 5G protocols, which include: uncovering a user’s location, forging emergency alerts, tracking phone activity (calls, text or web browsing) or tacitly disconnecting the phone from the network.

The bugs were identified using a custom tool called 5GReasoner, which identified five other 3G and 4G vulnerabilities. The findings were presented yesterday at a security conference in London.

Although they are still facing technical and regulatory barriers, 5G networks are becoming faster in some major cities around the world, paying even more attention to user safety than ever before. The plugging of these vulnerabilities will be an urgent task.

What’s next? The researchers have now forwarded their findings to the GSMA, the mobile standards authority, which claims to be working on remedies.