A Comprehensive Guide to 5G Security

15 NFV and NFV-based Security Services

Wenjing Chu

Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

15.1 Introduction

In this chapter, we discuss 5G and security in the context of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), a new transformative technology that combines the technology developments in distributed systems, software virtualization, and cloud computing to modernize telecommunication infrastructure and services. We will cover the content in three parts. The first part will discuss what NFV is and how NFV relates to 5G and security. In the second part, we survey the new security challenges that NFV brings and the new opportunities to solve security problems using NFV technologies. In the third part, we look at several exciting advancements in NFV-based security solutions that can have a huge impact on the success of 5G and networking in general.

15.2 5G, NFV and Security

5G is both a quantitative and qualitative great leap forward for the wireless industry. While the standardization and planning of early commercial deployments are just getting under way at the time of writing, the goals that the industry set are very ambitious and far-reaching. For example, the NGMN Alliance white paper [1] broadly defined the characteristics of 5G in three aspects:

1. Use cases, faster and more common broadband access, IoT, vehicular networks, verticals like healthcare and robotics, ultra-real-time tactile networks, AR/VR;
2. Business models, XaaS, value-add services and OTT applications; and
3. Value creation, ...