Telecom networks have increasingly become prime targets for cyber adversaries, as evidenced by recent threats such as GTPDOOR and sophisticated attacks by Liminal Panda and Salt Typhoon—each more advanced than the last.

It’s a well-established fact that telecoms face heightened risks due to the prevalence of legacy equipment, obscure technologies spanning generations from GSM to 5G, and shadow assets often left behind after mergers and acquisitions. Resolving years of accumulated issues will require a comprehensive and sustained effort.

One of the biggest challenges lies in the fragmented nature of telecom infrastructures and the security solutions designed to protect them. Investigations in 2024 revealed that hackers are successfully exploiting core telecom protocols (e.g., SIGTRAN, GTP) and trusted relationships between providers to infiltrate networks and remain undetected.

Where is the protection on this critical frontier?

While solutions such as Core (signaling) firewalls exist, they lack the security monitoring needed to detect advanced threats. Current monitoring systems can identify QoS failures but often fail to uncover the exploitation of vulnerabilities. Additionally, security control verification is frequently compliance-driven rather than focused on addressing real-world security risks. This fragmented approach leaves critical gaps, making it easier for adversaries to exploit weaknesses and breach networks.

To address these challenges, SecurityGen proposes a unified cybersecurity strategy based on the NIST Framework. This strategy integrates continuous security testing, real-time threat detection, and proactive protection measures to secure telecom networks effectively.

Key benefits of SecurityGen's approach include::