Massive IoT means massive cybersecurity implications
Support for a massive number of internet of things devices, as well as significantly increased device density, is one of the primary use cases for 5G. While there’s considerable consumer interest in IoT devices—think smart watches, home security cameras and voice-activated assistants—the IoT is also creating new levels of efficiency and value for industrial and enterprise players in a wide range of verticals. But as formerly dumb devices get connected to the internet in the IoT explosion, which will be further emboldened with the scaled deployment of 5G, more network endpoints means more cybersecurity risks. But, with that risk comes the potential for reward; operators just have to figure out how to best monetize the IoT.
John Lenns, Oracle Communications’ vice president of product marketing, discussed the IoT opportunity in an a recent interview. “We’re starting to see ecosystems being developed—smart home, smart city, smart car, smart workplace. I think it’s going to create a challenge but a huge opportunity for the communications service providers. The opportunity is that it’s going to open up a whole new set of revenue potential for these CSPs to service businesses and enterprises…The challenge that’s going to be put forth simultaneous to the opportunity is how to do it profitably.”
As it relates to Oracle’s signaling and core focus, Lenns hit on how IoT traffic is very different from typical mobile smartphone use. “When you get right down to it, those [IoT] use cases involve devices that are not having continuous sessions. They’re devices that are surveyed for their input—a meter, a bicycle, an LED in a lamppost. They’re quick-on, quick-off-type ecosystems. That means the value of the revenue, the revenue per device will be less. That also drives the need to deploy use cases in a much more cost effective manner.”
To the cybersecurity point, Travis Russell, director of cybersecurity at Oracle Communications, said “massive IoT introduces risks” but highlighted how, from a standards-development perspective, security is front-and-center. “One of the trends I’ve been seeing this time around that’s different with 3G and 4G, if you look at the work in 3GPP, there’s a lot of liaison efforts” with other global standards bodies. “This go around…we’re actually learning from the errors of our ways in the past and trying to fix it ahead of time in the standard. I think we’re going to see, from a security perspective, much strong security.”
Russell said cybersecurity concerns in the past were sometimes viewed as “academic and theoretical. I think everybody has learned that that’s not actually the case. It does happen and it is happening. I think we’re going to see a lot more focus on it going forward.”
