Signalling security remains a key facet of 5G network security, but the market is changing. Traditionally, signalling security has meant signalling firewalls deployed as hardware. Recently updated forecasts by global technology intelligence firm ABI Research suggest a stagnation of hardware revenues, while network security delivered as services and software are expected to see 50% year-on-year growth.

“The shift is clear – there is still demand for signalling security, but customers increasingly want it delivered in a software format, with an emphasis on ‘Single Pane of Glass’ interfaces, ease, and integration,” says Georgia Cooke, Digital Security Research Analyst at ABI Research. “Signalling security remains an overlooked problem for many network operators. A move to flexible, scalable software solutions will help signalling firewalls become ubiquitous, underpinning 5G security and raising security standards across the market.”   

Around half of network operators still lack a signalling firewall despite this being a core security component. A recent activation of Enea’s voice firewall in Telecom Egypt’s network saw a 90% reduction in scam calls. Until recently, trust levels in signalling firewalls were low, with a quarter of MNOs stating that 75% of attacks were missed by their firewalls in 2021. This is improving, with innovative companies such as BroadForward and Mavenir putting forward cloud-based solutions that are easier to use and have more rapid update cycles.

This move is set against a backdrop of threat proliferation, with attackers moving faster than ever to target telcos with novel and sophisticated attacks. Against the rapidity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) -enabled threat, security tools must be adaptable and easily managed by often overstretched security teams – hence the increasing appetite for softwarized firewalls.

“While there will continue to be a market for firewalls delivered as hardware, this expansion of deployment methods contributes to explosive software security growth in the 5G network security market and offers more options to increasingly diverse operators with demands for agility and technical convergence within their security investments,” Cooke concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research’s Strategies for Signaling Security with 5G report. This report is part of the company’s Telco Cybersecurity research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights. Based on extensive primary interviews, reports present an in-depth analysis of key market trends and factors for a specific technology.