Global telecoms giant and cybersecurity innovators combine to create future-proof, secure implementations of fifth generation mobile networks

Finnish telecoms company Nokia and Utimaco, a leading global provider of IT security solutions, have announced that they will jointly develop 5G security solutions for Core mobile networks in a move that expands the two companies partnership.  The combined technology will further improve security on 5G networks ranging from private site networks to national networks and Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

The 5G standard for broadband cellular networks began being rolled out in 2019, and today has been implemented in 24 European countries. The higher bandwidth of 5G networks means that users can have download speeds of up to 10 gigabytes per second – enough to download an entire Blu-ray disc in five seconds. The twin benefits of high speed and low latency can enable anything from 4K streaming and gaming to the sharing of scientific data, controlling autonomous vehicles, enabling industrial automation creating networks of IoT devices in homes and cities.

As 5G penetration has increased, regulators in the EU have begun to define a regulatory framework for safeguarding encryption keys that enable users to verify other users on the network are who they say they are. This public key infrastructure (PKI) is used across the digital world in hundreds of applications, and Utimaco has been at the forefront of implementing this technology and many others in telecommunications, government, banking, cloud services and many other industries. 

The security solution to be offered by Nokia and Utimaco will allow networks of any size to integrate high-level user authentication and key agreement protocols from 2G to 5G connections, while supporting quantum-safe algorithms to protect against next-generation cyberattacks. The solution can also be customized to meet the specific requirements of communication service providers.

This new solution will also utilize the capabilities of Nokia Subscriber Data Management to protect customer data security and reinforce endpoint security.

Mario Galatovic, Vice President Products & Alliances at Utimaco, says: “5G isn’t just a faster version of existing mobile standards. It was created to fundamentally change how devices interact, so that cities could link up vast networks of sensors and factories could stream real-time data from their autonomous machines. We are only just beginning to scratch the surface of what is possible when everything from a desktop computer to a smart light bulb can connect with incredible speed and stability, so it is vital that security protocols are in place that protect the assets on these networks.”

Marcelo Cheminn Madruga, Head of Cloud & Network Services Core Networks Technology and Platforms at Nokia, adds: “As the scale and sophistication of cyber-criminal activity continues to grow, there is a relentless need to strengthen our cybersecurity capabilities inside Nokia and with our partners. Security is a top concern of our communication service provider and enterprise customers, and we are pleased to enhance our partnership with Utimaco and our joint efforts in bolstering our security tools. Combining the benefits of Nokia’s Subscriber Data Management solution with UTIMACO HSM end-point security is a case in point.”