Nokia Opens First End-to-End 5G Cybersecurity Testing Lab in US

Nokia claims that its Advanced Security Testing and Research (ASTaR) lab in Dallas, Texas is the first end-to-end 5G testing lab in the US to focus completely on cybersecurity.

ASTaR's holistic approach to testing and analysing threats appears to extend beyond specific network elements to include the greater context of network use and abuse scenarios. It has been described as a "wargaming centre" where Nokia and its partner's products may be tested against known and potential cybersecurity threats.

ASTaR will reportedly be in charge of developing "leading-edge tools and procedures" to analyse the security resilience of 5G networks, as well as accompanying software, hardware, and apps. It was also established to deal with emerging security concerns, and it will collaborate with the cybersecurity community to detect fake news on the horizon.

According to Nokia, as the network landscape changes with 5G, new challenges emerge due to the growing number of interworking endpoints, use of open-source software, and large-scale 5G deployment in many industries. The growth of the Internet of Things devices is likely to be similar.

Nishant Batra, Chief Strategy and Technology Officer at Nokia, said:

"5G will enable countless new services for consumers, government and businesses, and the industry must be hyper-vigilant in ensuring these 5G ecosystems are secure. To demonstrate our leadership and commitment to security, Nokia will be the first to inaugurate a lab in the U.S. with the singular mission of identifying and preventing cybersecurity attacks. ASTaR lab will be an ideal testing ground to assess security in the larger context of network use and abuse scenarios.”

It is the kind of announcement that reflects the current political climate in the United States and the United Kingdom. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, several US government entities have urged everyone to step up their security game and keep a lookout for an uptick in harmful attacks emanating from Russia.

Meanwhile, in the UK, BT and Toshiba have claimed to be the first to create a quantum-secured metro network, and the DCMS is considering a new 'code of practice' for app stores that would define a set of security and privacy rules for all apps.

Source: Telecoms.com