Cybersecurity Challenges in the Telecom Sector: Protecting Data and Infrastructure
Cybersecurity is a pressing need for businesses in all industries. Still, some sectors face unique challenges that make the imperative to ensure thorough security more prominent and complicated than in other fields. Telecommunications is a prime example. The telecom industry provides the foundation for many cybersecurity functions in other areas. Its reliance on distributed infrastructure and complex networks also makes it difficult to secure and tempting as a target.
Top Cybersecurity Risks Facing the Telecom Sector
Cell tower networks are harder to manage than office IT environments partly because of their sheer size. Providers manage infrastructure across the nation, including devices of all types and capabilities. Such a massive and varied attack surface makes it easy for attackers to slip through undetected.
Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are also a big concern. These involve overloading a system to make it more vulnerable to other attacks, and there were over 8.9 trillion such instances in 2023 alone. Aging infrastructure and outdated technologies make the sector even more prone to DDoS disruption.
Keeping people’s communications and data private is another concern. As the underlying system behind cellular connections, telecom services handle large volumes of potentially sensitive data. Ensuring those communications remain efficient while preventing unauthorized eyes from seeing them is not easy.
Many providers may need to store metadata on customer conversations. Even if they use such information responsibly, it makes them a target. Cybercriminals who breach this data could use it for phishing, the most common type of cyberattack today.
How Telecom Companies Can Improve Their Cybersecurity
In light of these threats, telecom providers must take action. Thankfully, better security is possible if organizations follow a few best practices.
Deploy AI Monitoring
Because telecom networks are so complex, providers need a better way to monitor them to catch emerging threats. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the answer.
AI monitoring tools can identify and contain suspicious behavior in real time, helping companies stop attacks before they cause much damage. As a result, the firms using them save $2.22 million on average when a breach occurs. AI can also audit cell networks to highlight vulnerabilities to fix before a cybercriminal takes advantage of them.
Verify Calls
While AI monitoring is helpful in any industry, telecom needs some sector-specific improvements, too. Call verification is one such step.
The Federal Communications Commission has required providers to sign calls since 2021, but verification is optional. When carriers verify a call or message, they analyze its signature and origin to confirm it’s from the source it says it is. This extra step helps fight spam, voice phishing and other user-targeted attacks.
Embrace Encryption
Encrypting texts, calls and cellular data is another telecom-specific step the industry must embrace. Encryption does not stop intercepting communications, but it renders data unreadable to anyone but the authorized senders and recipients, protecting their privacy.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency assistant director Jeff Greene emphasized the importance of encryption after a recent breach involving major carriers. Providers typically do not encrypt messages, leaving them open to spying. Offering encrypted traffic options to customers would make it easier for them to remain secure.
Upgrade Infrastructure
Hardware upgrades are also necessary. Newer technologies offer additional protection. For example, 5G enables stronger user authentication measures and updated wireless infrastructure is compatible with advanced security software.
Upgrading an entire network will take significant time and investment. However, carriers can start by identifying the regions most vulnerable to attacks and focusing there first. Each time they expand their modernization efforts, security will improve for more users.
The Telecom Industry Needs Better Cyber Defenses
The telecommunications sector is the backbone of many processes in life and business today. As such, it must improve its cybersecurity posture. Following these steps will give providers a solid foundation as they build toward a more secure future.
