Cellular network security

This chapter focuses on the security of the cellular network. Cellular networks are high-speed, high-capacity voice and data communication networks with enhanced multimedia and seamless roaming capabilities for supporting cellular devices. Cellular networks have become open public networks to which end subscribers have direct access. This has greatly increased the threats to the cellular network. Though cellular networks have vastly advanced in their performance abilities, the security of these networks still remains highly outdated. With the increase in popularity of cellular devices, these networks are used for more than just entertainment and phone calls. They have become the primary means of communication for finance-sensitive business transactions, lifesaving emergencies, and life-/mission-critical services such as E-911. A breakdown in the cellular network has many adverse effects, ranging from huge economic losses due to financial transaction disruptions; loss of life due to loss of phone calls made to emergency workers; and communication outages during emergencies. It must be noted that it is not difficult for unscrupulous elements to break into the cellular network and cause outages. The major reason for this is that cellular networks were not designed with security in mind. They evolved from the old-fashioned telephone networks that were built for performance. The cellular network has numerous well-known and unsecured vulnerabilities providing access to adversaries. To ensure that adversaries do not access the network and cause breakdowns, a high level of security must be maintained in the cellular network. However, though great efforts have been made to improve the cellular network in terms of support for new and innovative services, greater number of subscribers, higher speed, and larger bandwidth, very little has been done to update the security of the cellular network.