PFCP Stateful Inspection for Secure Control and User Plane Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile networks face challenges in securing control and user plane separation, particularly in 4G and 5G networks, necessitating improved techniques for monitoring network traffic and applying security policies to prevent attacks like Denial of Service (DoS) and Session Endpoint Identifier (SEID) spoofing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a security platform that performs Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) stateful inspection by parsing PFCP messages to extract parameters and enforce security policies, using firewalls or next-generation firewalls to secure control and user plane separation in mobile networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If control and user plane separation is implemented in mobile networks, then network flexibility and scalability are improved, but security vulnerabilities increase due to exposed interfaces between control plane functions and user plane functions
Solution Approach 1:
A security gateway is introduced as an intermediary component between the control plane function (CPF) and user plane function (UPF). The security gateway monitors, filters, and controls PFCP messages exchanged between CPF and UPF, blocking malicious traffic while allowing legitimate communication. This intermediary resolves the security vulnerability introduced by the control-user plane separation architecture.
2Reliability
If comprehensive security monitoring is implemented on all network traffic, then attack detection capability is improved, but network processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The security gateway applies differentiated monitoring strategies to different types of PFCP messages and traffic flows. Critical control messages receive intensive inspection while routine user plane traffic receives lighter monitoring. This localized quality approach maintains high attack detection capability for control plane messages while reducing overall processing overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements selective monitoring focusing on control plane messages and suspicious patterns rather than uniformly inspecting all traffic. By applying partial action (monitoring only critical segments) rather than excessive action (monitoring everything in detail), the system achieves adequate security with reduced processing overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for securing control and user plane separation in mobile networks (e.g., service provider networks for mobile subscribers, such as for 4G/5G networks) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system/process/computer program product for securing control and user plane separation in mobile networks in accordance with some embodiments includes monitoring network traffic on a mobile network at a security platform to identify an Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) message associated with a new session, in which the mobile network includes a 4G network or a 5G network; extracting a plurality of parameters from the PFCP message at the security platform; and enforcing a security policy at the security platform on the new session based on one or more of the plurality of parameters to secure control and user plane separation in the mobile network.