FREE webinar on network SS7 vulnerabilities in a 5G era

By Dan Oliver
published

A live webinar, presented by Positive Technologies, is taking place on the 6th August at 2pm GMT, examining the need for MNOs to address vulnerabilities in SS7 protocols and 5G networks.

Positive Technologies event promo.
(Image credit: Positive Technologies.)

For decades, the SS7 telephony protocol has been embedded into our communications infrastructure. And its vulnerabilities mean many operators are at risk of security data breaches, even on 5G networks.

Location tracking, interception of voice and text messages, denial of service and fraud are all possible by exploiting security holes in the SS7 protocol. And these threats serve as a warning to the telecoms industry about what is at stake if these loopholes are not closed.

"The SS7 protocol dates back to the 1970s, but firmly clings to 2G & 3G networks today."

Federico Aureli, Positive Technologies.

“The very purpose of SS7 was an intentional loophole for legitimate operators to manage the network but it has also become a window for hackers to exploit,” explained Federico Aureli, technical security specialist at Positive Technologies. “The SS7 protocol dates back to the 1970s, but firmly clings to 2G & 3G networks today. Despite mobile operators looking to shut down these networks in the coming years, GSMA reports that the number of 4G and 5G users is only now beginning to surpass that of 2G and 3G users.

“That means we won’t see the end of SS7 anytime soon. Their inherent architectural flaws mean criminals have access to text messages, phone calls, user location, all without the MNO or subscriber’s knowledge. Despite the industry turning its attention to new technologies such as 5G & IoT, it cannot turn a blind eye to the vulnerabilities which lurk beneath the surface. If not taken seriously, the past will come back to haunt mobile operators, stalling 5G migration efforts as the industry looks to the future.”

SS7 event details

Positive Technologies will be hosting its webinar, titled ‘SS7: The bad neighbor you’re stuck with during the 5G migration and far beyond’, on Thursday 6th August at 2pm. 

Discussing the trending topics in SS7 security will be telecom experts Federico Aureli and Milan Brezina, from Positive Technologies. Areas they will discuss include:

  • Why will SS7 remain embedded in networks even in the era of 5G?
  • Why mobile operators should take into account SS7 vulnerabilities? 
  • What SS7 protocol real-life fraud cases exist?

Please register by clicking here.

Positive Technologies SS7 event image.

(Image credit: Positive Technologies)



Dan Oliver
Dan Oliver

Dan is a British journalist with 20 years of experience in the design and tech sectors, producing content for the likes of Microsoft, Adobe, Dell and The Sunday Times. In 2012 he helped launch the world's number one design blog, Creative Bloq. Dan is now editor-in-chief at 5Gradar, where he oversees news, insight and reviews, providing an invaluable resource for anyone looking to stay up-to-date with the key issues facing 5G.