- Major security flaws reported as we witness 5G rollout.
- Flaws with decades-old SS7 protocol plagues the security of wireless tech.
- Cyber Attackers can exploit these flaws to their advantage.
5G is already around the corner and several vendors are now offering 5G-supporting devices. Meanwhile, leading carriers have established the required infrastructure in many major cities around the world, with plans to expand to new locations.
Despite the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous pilots and official rollouts are advancing worldwide. This next-generation wireless technology accounts for about 21% of all infrastructure investments in 2020. Each and every sector provides funding to the 5G technology. These sectors are ready to implement this with their tech and service. Yet, there is a loophole in the security standards ready to be exploited by cyberattackers.
Recently Black Hat Asia held a meeting on Friday, called “Back to the Future. Cross-Protocol Attacks in the era of 5G.” Sergey Puzankov highlighted the outstanding issues in the Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol and how it plagues the telecommunications industry.
What is the SS7 Protocol?
Being developed back in 1975, the SS7, which is a set of protocols and an industry-standard, hasn’t evolved much since then, including the security domain.
Positive Technologies, in 2014 revealed exploitable security flaws. The flaws in the protocol which could potentially be used to conduct cyberattacks. These attacks range from intercepting phone calls to bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA).
In order to provide a seamless experience for consumers when they shift between 3G, 4G, and 5G networks, Diameter and GTP are go-to protocols in the telecom industry. They are used for 3GPP, GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks.
What are the drawbacks of these loopholes?
According to Puzankov, “This mishmash of technologies, protocols, and standards in telecom has multiple implications for security”. Intruders are attacking mobile networks from all possible angles, in part by leveraging multiple protocols in combined attacks.
Lately, many vendors have acknowledged these issues. They have implemented various security measures to try to protect their networks. This includes frequency security assessments & audits, and signaling firewalls. They also include implementing signaling IDS and SMS home routing.
Puzakov also described how cross-protocol attack vectors could be used to manipulate data streams. These data streams on 4g and 5G networks intercept SMS, voice calls on 2G/ 3G/ 4G. They also commit fraud by signing up subscribers to value-added services (VAS) without their consent.
All these attack vectors were tested in real-world scenarios and reported to relevant industry bodies. These attacks can also happen on a well-protected network. Operators can protect their networks better if they check the efficiency of their security tools.
