Private 4G/5G security startup OneLayer has developed a zero-touch zero-trust network access solution for private 4G and 5G networks with Ericsson. The novelty for the private networks sector is the zero-touch aspect; zero-trust network access (ZTNA) is the name of the game, almost, in private network deployments for mission- and business-critical Industry 4.0 operations; it has emerged as such in the last six months, notably, as enterprises have more generally stopped kicking the tyres on private 4G and 5G, and the market has moved overall to a more mature phase of commercial activity. New zero-touch ZTNA (further acronymised as ZT-ZTNA) automates aspects of it.
A statement from the pair said: “[The ZT-ZTNA solution] offers device onboarding automation at scale and robust zero-trust security for enterprises, such as utilities… It answers the industry’s call for scalable adoption of private cellular networks. This capability, originally available in (public) mobile operator networks and now extended by OneLayer to private networks, ensures seamless device and SIM onboarding without manual efforts. It ensures that only authorized devices connect to the network once a SIM is introduced into a device, streamlining the process of SIM provisioning, activation, and fingerprinting of the device, ensuring effective device onboarding.”
The pair have a combined focus, through partnership, on the utilities market in North America, in particular, and are showing the solution together at the utilities tradeshow Distributech this week (March 25-27) in Dallas, Texas. They went on: “By automating device and SIM onboarding processes at scale, ZT-ZTNA facilitates task delegation among various teams, reducing bottlenecks, enabling rapid device onboarding, and expanding the range of use cases running over private networks. This approach allows enterprises to maximize the use of their networks and achieve higher ROI from their private cellular networks.”
Dave Mor, chief executive at OneLayer, commented: “By incorporating ZT-ZTNA, we empower enterprises to seamlessly manage device access and secure against evolving threats. This solution enables businesses, such as utilities, to deliver better service to millions of customers and achieve sustainability goals for customers and stakeholders, without compromising on key objectives and defense strategies.”
Dana Jaber Diab, vice president and head of utilities for Ericsson in the Americas region, said: “The integration of OneLayer’s ZT-ZTNA with Ericsson’s offerings revolutionizes enterprise management and security of private networks devices. This collaboration ensures enterprises can leverage their private LTE/5G networks’ full potential while maintaining optimal operations and robust defenses.”
