Seemingly, the next evolution of technology will hinge on the successful launch of 5G. Driverless cars, video communication, remote devices, instant streaming and smart cities– all rely on pervasive and constant internet connection.
As we come to grips with a constantly connected world where all of our devices ‘talk’ to each other, industries will find new and innovative use cases. Yet, considering the number of hacks and data breaches that occur already, are we prepared for what 5G and this instant interconnection will bring?
Former Ofcom Director and Senior IEEE Member, Professor William Webb, believes that 5G doesn’t inherently bring more benefits or security issues that we currently have.
Professor William Webb, Director at Ofcom and Senior IEEE Member:
“Most of the benefits and threats remain the same as with 4G and other wireless technologies. Privacy issues are likely unchanged. However, 5G does introduce some new concepts such as virtualised (software-based) core networks and network slices, which might introduce new vulnerabilities into the network. In its early days, 5G might appear less secure than existing networks, but as these vulnerabilities are found and patched, 5G should settle down to being similar to previous generations.”
