Leveraging Heterogeneous Programmable Data Planes for Security and Privacy of Cellular Networks, 5G & Beyond

Abstract

Cellular networks have become a critical part of our networking infrastructure, enabling ubiquitous communication. However, they are likely to be under threat, and can also be the vehicle through which cellular-connected end-systems can be subject to attacks. This paper introduces our efforts to leverage data plane devices such as programmable network interface cards, switches, and end-hosts to efficiently detect attacks and ensure user privacy at terabit per second speeds. Specifically, our project designs a heterogeneous data plane framework that cohesively combines multiple data plane devices, and designs two security solutions on the framework: security monitoring and privacy protection. This paper briefly introduces the goals and initial results for the two solutions.