Global Mobile Event IDs for Cross-Network Cybersecurity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile communication event identifiers (IDs) are non-standardized across different network function (NF) vendors, leading to proprietary internal operations that hinder visibility and comprehensive analysis of mobile communication events, especially in cybersecurity contexts, and there is no framework to correlate cellular system application layer events with cyber attacks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing global mobile communication event identifiers that are unique to a category of events and consistent across NFs, enabling standardized logging and correlation across different NFs, with cybersecurity operations centers for early detection of cybersecurity events and rapid defensive responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each NF vendor uses proprietary event IDs for internal operations, then vendor-specific optimizations and algorithms can be maintained, but network-wide event visibility and cybersecurity analysis are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The event ID space is segmented into two parts: a standardized global prefix that enables network-wide correlation, and a vendor-specific suffix that preserves proprietary event details. This segmentation allows both universal visibility and vendor-specific optimization to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
A standardized event ID mapping layer acts as an intermediary between proprietary vendor event logs and network-wide security analysis systems. This mapping layer translates vendor-specific event IDs into a common framework that enables correlation across different NFs while preserving the original vendor-specific information.
2Reliability
If standardized event IDs are implemented across all NFs, then network-wide event correlation and cybersecurity detection are improved, but vendor proprietary algorithms and optimizations are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The event ID structure is segmented to include both standardized components for reliability and vendor-specific components for adaptability. The global prefix ensures consistent event categorization across the network, while the vendor-specific suffix preserves proprietary optimization information.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized event ID framework serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables network-wide event correlation for security purposes while also accommodating vendor-specific event types and optimizations. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between standardization and proprietary differentiation.
3Measurement precision
If proprietary event logging is used at each NF, then internal event details are captured, but comprehensive cybersecurity analysis and early threat detection are prevented
Solution Approach 1:
Event IDs are pre-defined and standardized across the network before security incidents occur. This preliminary standardization enables immediate correlation and analysis of events during security incidents, eliminating the time loss that would result from creating and mapping proprietary event IDs during threat response.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized event ID system provides immediate feedback to security operations centers by enabling real-time correlation of events across multiple NFs. This feedback mechanism allows for rapid detection and response to cybersecurity threats while preserving detailed internal event logging at each NF.
Data Source
AI summary
Global mobile communication event identifiers (IDs) improve security by enabling early detection of cybersecurity events in cellular networks. The event IDs are each unique to a category of mobile communication events and consistent across the network functions (NF), even from different vendors. NFs assign event IDs to mobile communication events, which are reported to a cybersecurity operations center. The cybersecurity operations center has visibility into network-wide events and is thus able to match occurrences of event IDs with categorized attacks, when an attack is occurring. This enables rapid, intelligent selection of a defensive response.