Multi-Layered Cybersecurity for 5G Networks

In Q1 2025, companies faced an average of 1,925 cyberattacks per week – a 47% increase from the previous year. Apparently, hackers didn’t get the memo that we’re busy. Traditional cybersecurity models are struggling to keep up, and businesses are realizing that firewalls alone are like putting a lock on the fridge and hoping the burglars leave your house alone.

We spoke with Davide Bertolucci, expert in network security at SMA-RTY, to understand how NGCI (SMA-RTY’s advanced 5G network solution) brings a multi-layered, proactive approach to cybersecurity.

Security today isn’t just about firewalls or protecting a single vault in your network. You really need a clear strategy.

We focus on the CIA triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. That means keeping data private, ensuring it’s not tampered with, and making sure services remain up and running, even under attack.

NGCI was built with these pillars from day one. It’s basically the bouncer, alarm system, and security camera rolled into one.

Think of your network as a house. Many solutions only protect the basement, the vault where valuables are kept. NGCI secures every door and window. Even if someone breaches one layer, a second layer awaits.

We call it Security Layered Architecture with Defense in Depth. Multiple barriers, from the edge to the core, so even if someone gets past the front door, the network has a plan B… and C… and D..

Sure. NGCI strengthens security in several ways:

1. Encrypted Authentication: We implement SUCI, an encrypted device identity from the 5G standard, by default. This prevents attackers from tracking or impersonating users from the very first connection.
2. Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) with AI: Our custom DPI engine designed to observe traffic patterns and detect anomalous behavior in real time. Rather than focusing only on known signatures, the goal is to identify deviations from expected network behavior, enabling early detection and containment of potential threats without impacting normal service.
3. Fail-Safe Isolation: Components are isolated to reduce blast radius and exposure if an attack occurs.

And we’re already thinking ahead. In fact, we're exploring post-quantum cryptography and anti-jamming 5G radio systems, solutions to protect networks from threats that don’t even exist yet.

Mobile networks have their own vulnerabilities. For example, the IMSI, the subscriber identifier for a device, could be intercepted in 4G through certain attacks like rogue base stations or fake Wi-Fi networks.

In 5G, this identifier is always encrypted as SUCI, effectively closing this attack vector. NGCI builds on these standards while adding AI-driven monitoring for extra protection.

As I was saying earlier, we’re actively enhancing the core network encryption, integrating AI-driven traffic analysis, and researching post-quantum algorithms to stay ahead of threats.

Given the long lifecycle of 5G networks, the objective is to ensure that data protected today remains secure even against future cryptographic advances, including quantum-enabled attacks.

On top of that, we're also researching anti-jamming mechanisms (i.e, jamming is an intentional interference with wireless signals that can disrupt communication) at the radio level to improve resilience against intentional interference and denial-of-service scenarios in critical 5G deployments

The idea is not just to react to attacks, but to anticipate them.

Cyberattacks are increasing, so locking one vault isn’t enough. NGCI shows that layered security, edge-to-core protection, and forward-looking research are essential to resilient networks.

The takeaway: the network of tomorrow must be secure by design, not as an afterthought. NGCI brings this vision to life, combining 5G standards, AI, and a layered architecture to ensure both current and future-proof protection.