5G Stand Alone & Lawful Interception: 5G Identity Management
What are the challenges of digital identity in 5G SA networks?
2023 is the year of much-expected 5G Stand Alone.
Among many other benefits, 5G SA offers enhanced protection for users regarding their confidentiality and privacy. This is achieved through over-the-air encryption of user identifier (SUPI) made possible by 5G SIM or HSM (Hardware Security Module). It protects users from malicious eavesdropping made possible by the illegal use of IMSI-catchers by hostile actors.
However, such tactical devices are also employed legitimately, in the context of victim search and rescue, or legal criminal investigations by Law Enforcement Authorities. For example, they enable identification of the mobile devices used by lost hikers or suspects.
As part of Lawful Interception obligations of mobile operators, the access to the user identifier must be granted to LEAs when required.
Key figures
Identity Management in the age of 5G Stand Alone Networks
5G Identification Association
5G Identity Management provides real-time and on-demand 5G ID association between permanent and concealed identifiers in 5G Standalone networks.
The solution can be easily deployed with any existing LI mediation platforms.
It’s fully compliant with the 3GPP and ETSI standards related to LI.
Benefits
Mobile Network Operators
Continuum of operators' legal obligation to authorities
Mobile network operators can continue to meet their legal responsibilities to LEAs even with 5G Stand Alone networks.
2-in-1 extension of user trust and protection
At any time, users are protected from malicious attacks and illegal use of their identifiers (thanks to user de-identification made possible by SUPI encryption on the radio part), while benefiting from authorities’ protection only when required by severe security circumstances (thanks to re-dentification made possible by 5G identifiers’ association).
Smooth integration with any LI mediation back-end
MNOs can easily deploy this solution thanks to its full interoperability with existing LI mediation platforms already in place and LEAs’ IMSI catchers.
Law Enforcement Authorities
Continuum of sovereign services across all mobile generation networks
LEAs can continue their sovereign protection and investigation missions across all mobile network generations including 5G Stand Alone, while contributing to decrease cyberattack on 5G networks.