Strengthening 5G Security
The adoption of 5G and virtualization has made robust cybersecurity measures more critical than ever. Communication Service Providers (CSPs) face new and evolving threats that target critical telecommunications infrastructure, prioritizing cybersecurity for maintaining network integrity and protecting against service disruptions.
Nokia’s NetGuard Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution addresses these challenges. It offers advanced protection for mission-critical infrastructures and provides CSPs with real-time threat detection and automated responses to keep their networks safe without compromising performance or regulatory compliance. It’s designed to provide real-time, telco-specific protection, ensuring critical network functions remain secure without compromising performance or regulatory compliance.
By offering granular visibility, automated threat detection, and seamless integration with NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome, NetGuard EDR empowers CSPs to stay ahead of the ever-evolving threat landscape.
The Importance of EDR in Telecommunications
The threat landscape has become more complex as CSPs transition to 5G and introduce technologies like Virtual Network Functions (VNF) and Container Network Functions (CNF). While enabling innovation, these technologies also open new attack vectors for cybercriminals. Threats such as network slicing exploitation, supply chain vulnerabilities, and intrusion evasion are becoming increasingly prevalent.
For CSPs, the stakes are high. Their networks support mission-critical services enterprises and consumers rely on for seamless connectivity. The consequences of a security breach can be severe, resulting in service disruptions, financial loss, and reputational damage. Security Operations (SecOps) teams are under immense pressure to detect and respond to threats in real-time. Still, traditional security solutions often fall short due to the complexity and scale of telecom networks. This is where NetGuard EDR shines—by providing a purpose-built solution for telecommunications infrastructure.
How NetGuard EDR Enhances Network Security
NetGuard EDR is a lightweight, modular security platform designed to detect, analyze, and respond to threats in real time. Unlike traditional IT-based EDR solutions, it is tailored to the unique requirements of telecom networks, ensuring that security measures do not compromise the performance or integrity of network functions.
The solution offers several key benefits:
Real-time threat detection
NetGuard EDR continuously monitors network traffic and function data, providing real-time alerts and automated responses to potential threats. This reduces the attack surface and minimizes the risk of service disruptions.
Compliance with telecom regulations
The solution is designed to comply with country-specific telecommunications regulations, ensuring that CSPs can meet regulatory obligations while maintaining robust security.
No resource impact
NetGuard EDR operates without any kernel dependencies, meaning it does not compete for resources with critical network functions. This ensures that network performance remains unaffected, even during security incidents.
Elimination of blind spots
With unified visibility of network functions, data, and traffic, NetGuard EDR eliminates blind spots that can leave networks vulnerable to attacks.
Why CSPs Need NetGuard EDR for 5G Security
The shift to 5G has significantly expanded the attack surface for CSPs. With the proliferation of cloud-based services, virtualization, open architectures, and APIs, malicious actors have more entry points than ever to infiltrate networks. The speed and scale of these attacks can overwhelm SecOps teams, especially when manual processes are involved.
A recent survey by TM Forum highlighted that 35% of CSPs consider understanding and mitigating risks in their cyber threat landscape as the most critical factor influencing their security strategy. Government regulations were identified as the second biggest driver. This underscores the urgency for CSPs to adopt solutions that can automate threat detection and response to keep pace with these emerging threats.
NetGuard EDR addresses these challenges head-on by leveraging automation and advanced AI to detect and mitigate threats rapidly. Reducing manual tasks alleviates the burden on security teams, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives while ensuring continuous protection of critical network functions.
Key Capabilities of NetGuard EDR
NetGuard EDR’s telco-specialized approach sets it apart from other EDR solutions on the market. Its key capabilities include:
Anomalous behavior detection
The solution monitors user access and behavior, detecting any deviations that could indicate a threat.
Log analysis and threat identification
NetGuard EDR identifies suspicious errors in logs, file system changes, and abnormal process executions, helping to detect early indicators of compromise.
Network reconnaissance detection
Outbound network scans and other reconnaissance activities are detected in real-time, allowing immediate response.
Configuration monitoring
Unauthorized configuration changes, software installations, or deviations in container images are flagged for further investigation.
Compliance monitoring
The solution ensures continuous compliance with telecom-specific regulations, reducing the risk of penalties or service disruptions.
Automated remediation
When a threat is detected, NetGuard EDR triggers automated workflows to remediate the affected endpoint or network function, minimizing the impact on the network.
Telco-Driven XDR with NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome
One of NetGuard EDR’s most powerful features is its integration with NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome, Nokia’s extended detection and response (XDR) platform. These solutions leverage advanced AI and automation to enhance threat detection and response across the entire network when deployed together.
NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome offers end-to-end security management, correlating data from various sources to provide a unified view of security events. This reduces false positives, allowing SecOps teams to focus on real threats rather than wasting time on irrelevant alerts. Additionally, the integration enables seamless remediation workflows, ensuring threats are quickly neutralized without manual intervention.
Flexible Deployment Models
NetGuard EDR offers flexible deployment options to suit the needs of different CSPs. The solution can be deployed entirely on-premises within the CSP’s network or in a hybrid mode. This flexibility allows CSPs to choose the best model for their security architecture and regulatory requirements.
The solution supports multiple platforms, including Linux, HPUX, Solaris, AIX, and Windows, making it compatible with many network environments. This reduces the integration cost and simplifies deployment, allowing CSPs to enhance their security posture without overhauling their existing infrastructure.
About Infinity Technology Solutions
Infinity Technology Solutions specializes in broadband and critical communications infrastructure development. We help our channel partners create and deploy private wireless, microwave backhaul, IP/MPLS, and optical networking technologies.
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