RAN Tester UE: An Automated Declarative UE Centric Security Testing Platform

TL;DR

This paper presents an automated, scalable security testing platform for RAN in 5G networks, enhancing testing efficiency and reproducibility to better protect complex and interconnected cellular networks.

Contribution

It introduces a novel UE-centric RAN security testing framework that overcomes limitations of existing solutions, enabling adaptive and automated security assessments.

Findings

Validated on a 5G testbed with commercial hardware

Demonstrated improved testing efficiency and reproducibility

Showed effectiveness in identifying security vulnerabilities

Abstract

Cellular networks require strict security procedures and measures across various network components, from core to radio access network (RAN) and end-user devices. As networks become increasingly complex and interconnected, as in O-RAN deployments, they are exposed to a numerous security threats. Therefore, ensuring robust security is critical for O-RAN to protect network integrity and safeguard user data. This requires rigorous testing methodologies to mitigate threats. This paper introduces an automated, adaptive, and scalable user equipment (UE) based RAN security testing framework designed to address the shortcomings of existing RAN testing solutions. Experimental results on a 5G software radio testbed built with commercial off-the-shelf hardware and open source software validate the efficiency and reproducibility of sample security test procedures developed on the RAN Tester UE framework.