The Security Risks and Challenges of 5G Communications

With the introduction of the 5th generation of wireless systems and communications (5G) comes new risks and challenges. This paper explores the potential security challenges of 5G communication compared with legacy cellular networks and prior generations of communication standards. This paper defines what 5G is and how it affects our lives on a daily basis. It further discusses the new security features involving different technologies applied to 5G, such as heterogeneous networks, device-to-device communications, massive multiple-input multiple-output, software-defined networks, and the internet of things, including autonomous cars, healthcare, automated manufacturing, and more.