User:Bdaksha/4G LTE Security for Mobile Network Operators

Fourth Generation Long term evolution (4G LTE) architecture was developed by the third generation partnership project (3GPP) taking into consideration security principles right from its inception and design based on five security feature groups

(i) Network access security, to provide a secure access to the service by the user.

(ii) Network domain security, to protect the network elements and secure the signalling and user data exchange.

(iii) User domain security, to control the secure access to mobile stations

(iv) Application domain security, to establish secure communications over the application layer

(v) Visibility and configuration of security, bring the opportunity for the user to check if the security features are in operation.

However,in reviewing the 4G LTE architecture, the 3GPP, next generation mobile network (NGMN) alliance and international telecommunications union (ITU) have identified security vulnerabilities and recommended mitigation strategies. Consideration and implementation of these and other security enhancing measures are discretionary to the many LTE stakeholders including MNOs

User Equipment (UE):
UEs are the subscriber entry points into the LTE network andare perhaps the weakest element on the LTE architecture as the MNO has least control over its security parameters. In context, UEs can be the gateway forvarious security vulnerabilities into the LTE service.

Access:
This section considers the access as the eUTRAN, and the interconnection between the UE and the eUTRAN.