NCSAM: What is 5G? It's Impact On the Average Consumer & Cybersecurity.

What is 5G? It’s Impact On the Average Consumer & Cybersecurity.

What is 5G?

There is a lot of talk about what 5G might become…but not a lot of understanding about what it actually is.

5G = 5th generation wireless technology. Each generation is increasingly reliable, faster, etc.

1983—1G: Analogue, only carried voice signal.

1991—2G: Basic features such as texting and picture messaging.

2001—3G: Offered faster speeds that supported video calling and mobile data.

2009—4G: Mobile intervet, video stremming and gaming.

2019—5G: ???

Each “G” changed our lives in small, but very significant ways. Experts cannot yet tell us what 5G is….because they don’t even know yet.

What We Do Know:

5G will:

Be able to handle 1,000x more traffic than today’s networks and up to 10x faster than 4G LTE (speeds like this would allow you to download an entire HD movie in just a few seconds—compared to the hour or so it currently takes to do this with LTE).

Be the foundation for real-time virtual reality, mass-market autonomous driving cars, IoTs, and other technology we can’t even yet imagine.

5G coverage is forecasted to reach 45% of the world’s population by the end of 2024. (Ericsson)

“It is about connecting things with other things,” says Sandra Rivera, senior VP for the Network Platforms Group at Intel Corp.

What’s the Impact of 5G on Cybersecurity?

“As we pursue the connected future, however, we must place equivalent—if not greater—focus on the security of those connections, devices, and applications.”

—Tom Wheeler and David Simpson—Brookings

Since 5G is a conversion to mostly software networks, future updates will be software updates (similar to the current updates to your smartphone).

Due to the cyber vulnerabilities of software, a tough part about 5G is figuring out how to secure the most important network of the 21st century. And the vast ecosystem of devices and apps that come from that network.

More network capabilities = more vulnerabilities = that much more of a need for cybersecurity.

“Yes, the“race” to 5G is on—but it is a race to secure our nation, our economy, and our citizens.”

—Tom Wheeler and David Simpson—Brookings