Secure Network Slicing for 5G Services

大多数未来的网络服务和应用开发都依赖于5G架构上设想的基础设施，预计5G架构将成为包括Telus在内的许多互联网服务提供商（ISP）的关键技术。传统的安全定义被认为是敏感的，在5G环境中可能不适用，该环境已经将大量接入点纳入无线电网络以增加覆盖范围和容量，并且依赖软件多于硬件。最终的结果是扩展的攻击面;可以简单地将其视为系统可能受到危害的点的集合。扩大的攻击面使网络核心面临更多风险。由于5G网络的规模以及用户和攻击者都可以获得更高的5G数据速率，因此这种扩大的攻击面的攻击影响预计会更高。网络切片是为5G网络中的大量服务提供灵活、可扩展和按需解决方案的关键。鉴于5G架构将如何依赖虚拟化和多租户，将存在与切片（和网络功能）隔离相关的挑战。在努力满足超低延迟和设备到设备通信中严格的端到端延迟要求的同时，这些挑战也将存在。我们将提出并研究技术和策略，以减轻在5G网络中扩展攻击面的背景下与5G网络中的网络切片相关的风险。我们将在这个拟议的项目中采用风险缓解方法，并将依赖于创建新的威胁模型、防御技术和流量管理技术。项目成果的这些要素将有助于为关键信息基础设施运营商（如Telus）制定安全战略。

A majority of future network services and application development of rely on an infrastructure envisioned on the 5G architecture which is expected to be a crucial technology for many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) including Telus, a major Canadian ISP.Traditional security definitions of what is considered sensitive may not hold true in a 5G environment that has embraced a large number of access points to the radio network to increase coverage and capacity and that has relied on software more than hardware. The end result is an expanded attack surface; which can be simply viewed as a collection of points where the system could be compromised. The expanded attack surface exposes the network core to more risks. The impact of attacks from this expanded attack surface is expected to be higher due to the scale of the 5G network and the higher 5G data rates available to both users and attackers.Network slicing is key to providing flexible, scalable and on-demand solutions for a vast array of services in 5G networks. Given how the 5G architecture will rely on virtualization and multi-tenancy, challenges related to slice (and network function) isolation will exist. These challenges will exist while trying to meet the strict end-to-end delay requirements in ultra low-latency and device-to-device communications.We will propose and study techniques and strategies to mitigate the risks that are associated with network slicing in 5G networks in the context of the expanded attack surface in 5G networks. We will follow a risk-mitigation approach in this proposed project and will rely on creating new threat models, defence techniques and traffic management techniques. These elements of the project outcome will be instrumental in shaping a security strategy for the critical information infrastructure operators (e.g. Telus).