A survey of existing attacks on 5G SA

Abstract

Since the release of the Fifth Generation (5G) Stand-alone (SA) standard in 2018, there is a swift and widespread global adoption of 5G SA mobile network. For the present and foreseeable future, 5G technology will remain the core of mobile networks. Like previous generations of mobile networks, 5G networks have encountered numerous security issues during actual deployment and service provision, which have led to various serious impacts. Based on this, this paper systematically analyzes existing attacks targeting the User Equipment (UE), Radio Access Network (RAN), and core network of 5G networks. We propose a simple and effective method to investigate attacks on various parts of 5G networks, classify these attacks, and discuss their implications, causes, and defense solutions in detail. We find that most security issues have been theoretically addressed through defense solutions proposed in academic literature and 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications. However, whether these solutions have been implemented in existing 5G networks remains to be verified. Through a deep analysis of existing 5G network security issues, this paper also proposes potential directions for future 5G security research, aiming to promote further research in the field of 5G security and enhance the overall security of future mobile networks.