Nokia Opens Cybersecurity Testing Lab

Nokia has opened the Advanced Security Testing and Research (ASTaR) lab, an end-to-end 5G testing lab focused on cybersecurity.

ASTaR will use and develop “cutting-edge tools and techniques” to assess the security resilience of 5G networks, as well as their associated software, hardware, and applications, the phone maker says. The testing lab will also take advantage of the in-house security research capabilities available via Nokia Bell Labs to identify emerging threat vectors.

As the rollout of 5G networks kick into high gear, security is an ever-constant concern. The sheer number of endpoints and extensive use of open source software in 5G-capable devices and applications will open up more avenues of attack. The goal for this testing lab is to go beyond looking at individual network elements and focus on the “larger context of network use and abuse scenarios,” the company says.

These assessments will help Nokia work with other security experts to identify potential vulnerabilities targeting 5G networks. Nokia will also partner with operator, enterprise, and government customer to consider attack scenarios against networks and observe how security measures fare against real security incursions.

The lab, based in Dallas, is capable of testing products from both Nokia and its partners against real-world attack scenarios. Nokia says the ASTaR lab is the first of this kind of cybersecurity testing facility in the US.