Securing 5G Networks by Mitigating Cybersecurity Risks for Transformative Applications

Abstract

The increasing adoption of 5th generation (5G) networks introduces significant cybersecurity challenges due to the expansion of the attack surface, driven by network slicing, edge computing, and a massive number of connected devices. These challenges demand robust access control mechanisms to mitigate potential risks while maintaining network efficiency. This study presents the Secure 5G Access Control (S5GAC) protocol, a comprehensive security framework designed to enhance user and device authentication through multi-factor authentication (MFA), contextual access control, and continuous monitoring. Unlike existing security models, S5GAC incorporates dynamic risk assessment, leveraging network traffic anomalies, user activity deviations, and device behavior irregularities to enforce adaptive access control measures. Comparative analysis demonstrates that S5GAC achieves a significant reduction in data exfiltration risks, substantial mitigation of cross-slice breaches, and notable improvement in threat detection, all while imposing only a minor latency overhead and a slight throughput reduction. Additionally, the MFA implementation in S5GAC achieves a high authentication success rate, reinforcing its effectiveness in securing high-density 5G environments. Future research will focus on AI-driven threat detection, federated learning-based security, and blockchain-integrated identity management to enhance scalability and resilience in ultra-dense 5G deployments. The proposed S5GAC protocol serves as a future-ready security solution, ensuring robust protection against cyber threats while maintaining optimal network performance.