Verticals in 5G MEC-Use Cases and Security Challenges

TLDR

5G, the fifth‑generation cellular network, offers exceptionally high performance and is complemented by Multi‑Access Edge Computing (MEC) and the concept of vertical industries to meet specific business needs. This article investigates how MEC technology influences the operation of 5G MEC‑based services. The authors examine twelve representative 5G vertical industries, detailing their characteristics, threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks, and analyze how MEC affects functional properties, efficiency patterns, and network quality to derive security requirements. The study identifies the impact of classified threats on these vertical industries and pinpoints the most vulnerable cases that should be prioritized for protection against network attacks.

Abstract

5G is the fifth-generation cellular network satisfying the requirements IMT-2020 (International Mobile Telecommunications-2020) of the International Telecommunication Union. Mobile network operators started using it worldwide in 2019. Generally, 5G achieves exceptionally high values of performance parameters of access and transmission. The application of edge servers has been proposed to facilitate implementing such requirements of 5G, resulting in 5G MEC (Multi-access Edge Computing) technology. Moreover, to optimize services for specific business applications, the concept of 5G vertical industries has been proposed. In this article, we study how the application of the MEC technology affects the functioning of 5G MEC-based services. We consider twelve representative vertical industries of 5G MEC by presenting their essential characteristics, threats, vulnerabilities, and known attacks. Furthermore, we analyze their functional properties, give efficiency patterns and identify the effect of applying the MEC technology in 5G on the resultant network's quality parameters to determine the expected security requirements. As a result of the research, we identify the impact of classified threats on the 5G empowered vertical industries and identify the most sensitive cases to focus on their protection against network attacks in the first place.