How to Protect IoT Deployments in the 5G Era

The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow rapidly, with over 40.6 billion connected devices expected by 2034. The rollout of 5G is accelerating this trend, offering high speed, low latency, and massive connectivity that enable new applications and greater efficiency across industries. However, this also expands the attack surface and brings more complex cybersecurity challenges. While 5G enhances security through stronger encryption, mutual authentication, and network slicing, its power and flexibility can also be exploited by attackers to launch faster and more destructive attacks.

To address these risks, enterprises must adopt a security-by-design strategy, embedding protection into 5G network architecture from the start. This includes secure APIs, unified authentication frameworks, zero-trust principles, and scalable system designs that evolve alongside emerging threats. At the same time, organizations should leverage 5G’s built-in advantages, such as stronger data privacy, advanced encryption, AI-powered threat detection, location-based access control, and network slicing to isolate risks and reduce lateral movement within networks.

Ultimately, securing the 5G and IoT ecosystem is not just the responsibility of enterprises. It requires close collaboration among telecom providers, network operators, system integrators, and IoT developers to maintain stability and trust in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

https://www.thefastmode.com/expert-opinion/44471-how-to-protect-iot-deployments-in-the-5g-era