Security Implications of 5G Communication in Industrial Systems

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the security implications of transitioning industrial control systems to 5G communication, highlighting vulnerabilities, resilience under different conditions, and the limits of security measures.

Contribution

Introduction of SWICS, a virtual testbed for studying ICS security in 5G environments, and analysis of security challenges under various channel conditions.

Findings

Optimal channel conditions enable resilience comparable to wired systems.

Degraded channels can amplify attacks and threaten system stability.

Eavesdropping and jamming pose inherent security limits in 5G channels.

Abstract

Traditionally, industrial control systems (ICS) were designed without security in mind, prioritizing availability and real-time communication. As these systems increasingly become targets of powerful adversaries, security can no longer be neglected. Driven by flexibility and automation needs, ICS are transitioning from wired to 5G communication, introducing new attack surfaces and a less reliable communication medium, thereby exacerbating existing security challenges. Given their critical role in society, a comprehensive evaluation of their security is imperative. To this end, we introduce SWICS, a fully virtual testbed simulating an ICS in a realistic 5G environment, and study how this transition affects security under varying channel conditions. Our results show three key findings: under optimal channel conditions, industrial 5G networks can achieve resilience comparable to wired systems, while degraded channel conditions can amplify traditional attacks, threaten system stability, and undermine detection mechanisms based on predictable traffic patterns. We further demonstrate the inherent limits of securing 5G channels for ICS through eavesdropping and jamming on the open-air interface. Our work highlights the interplay between security and 5G channel conditions, showing that traditional security controls may no longer be sufficient and motivating further research.