In August 2020, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released its strategy to ensure the security and resilience of 5G infrastructure in the United States.

Roughly every 10 years, the next generation of mobile communication networks is released, bringing faster speeds and increased capabilities. The fifth generation (5G) of wireless technology is a complete transformation of telecommunication networks, introducing an abundance of benefits such as higher data rates, ultra-low latency and increased network capacity. These benefits will pave the way for new capabilities and support connectivity for applications like smart cities, autonomous vehicles, remote healthcare and much more.

“The deployment of 5G technologies will enable new innovation, new markets, and economic growth around the world,” wrote Christopher Krebs, Director CISA, in the Strategy’s foreword. “Given 5G’s scope, the stakes for safeguarding our networks could not be higher. The vulnerabilities that will come with 5G deployment are broad and range from insider threats to cyber espionage and attacks from sophisticated nation-states.”

Strategy goal

Considering both the potentials and the risks and challenges brought forth by 5G technology, especially in critical infrastructures and services, CISA developed the 5G Strategy. The goal of CISA’s 5G Strategy is to advance the development and deployment of a secure and resilient 5G infrastructure that promotes national security, data integrity, technological innovation and economic opportunity for the United States and its allied partners.

To address the risks and challenges of 5G infrastructure, CISA’s strategic initiative is aligned with previously published 5G resilience road maps like the White House’s National Strategy to Secure 5G, published earlier this year, and the Prague Principles, which was released in 2019 when leaders met in the Czech capital to discuss the global implications of the new technology.

The CISA 5G Strategy aligns with the four lines of effort identified (Read more...)