We are getting closer and closer to the day when 6G networks become a reality. There is still time, but security specialists are beginning to warn of something that perhaps we had not thought about. And, with the expansion of the new network, we will also find ourselves facing new vulnerabilities.
With the launch of a new technology there always come vulnerabilities linked to it. Hackers are on the prowl and know there are always ways to ruin the day for professionals. But, with the future launch of 6G, it seems that these security risks are going to be higher than imagined. And the weakest element in the equation, the one on which all eyes are placed, has already been detected.
It is the Internet of things
The Internet of Things, also known as IoT, is emerging as the future of technology and the way in which a large number of devices and technology will continue to come together around us. It will be capable of the best, but it is also the element that security experts identify as the door that will allow attackers to take advantage of the new possibilities of the 6G network.
And this, of course, is not something new. Since the arrival of 4G, what hackers have done has been to take advantage of the new technology to carry out malicious acts. First of all, they take advantage of how new this technology is at the time of its debut. There is a period in which security experts have not yet developed as many defenses as in previous technologies and hackers know how to take advantage of that time in an unstoppable way. On the other hand, they also take advantage of new technological advances that are taking their first steps and risk leaving access unprotected. With 4G, hackers focused on surveillance cameras and digital video doorbells, while in the 6G era they may attack some of the many advances that will depend on this new network.
We must not forget that, with 6G, new projects that aim high will be implemented or extended, such as communication with holograms, large-scale smart cities, intelligent autonomous cars and other types of advances. That is to say, there will be many new elements that will change the way we enjoy everyday life and hackers, taking advantage of the “everything connected” concept of the IoT, could be prepared to take advantage of it.
From 2030
That is the year on which all eyes are on. It will be then when 6G networks reach the streets and begin to give generational relief to 5G. Of course, by that time we still have plenty of time and there is plenty of room for specialists to prepare. But, even in the most optimistic of forecasts, there is an initial period in which hackers could take advantage of the vulnerabilities that will enable Internet of Things devices.
Statista says that, by that date, connected devices within the IoT environment will have exceeded 32.1 billion worldwide. This is a huge number of terminals and technological devices that, under this forecast, could be sensitive to security problems. So that the situation does not become a major problem with serious consequences, specialists such as Marie Hattar of Keysight Technologies say that more robust encryption techniques must be developed, stronger regulations must be implemented, and better security standards must be established. The objective is clear: build a large defensive wall before it is too late and, thus, the arrival of 6G networks does not catch anyone off guard.
Furthermore, he emphasizes that it is convenient to be aware of how the communications paradigm is going to change completely. With 5G we will no longer be limited to messaging, calls and other communications, but there will be more resources and technology in which we will leave a trace. He says he’s concerned about how devices will have more capacity than ever to store current location information and previous places you’ve been. Access to this data by hackers or other cybercriminals could lead to many dangers.
Luckily, not only are there organizations and security groups already working on implementing these future defenses that prevent problematic situations from occurring, but AI is also seen as an important value. Special emphasis is placed on how AI will be able to detect irregularities and monitor networks to discover if something out of the ordinary is happening. With the current situations, these risks go unnoticed, but AI surveillance could be a first step in fighting them. This provides optimism in a technology, that of the 6G network, which is going to be crucial for humanity to continue advancing.
