The European Union is advancing efforts to secure 6G networks with the launch of the “Shield-6G” project, which aims to protect future mobile communications from various cybersecurity threats. Nineteen organizations have committed to this EU-funded initiative, which will develop a cyber threat intelligence platform for network operators before the anticipated global rollout of 6G around 2030.
Bart Siniarski, director at MBP Network Technology and a member of Shield-6G, stated that 6G will be significantly more complex than its predecessor, 5G. He explained, “The attack surface will be extended by a couple of magnitudes.” Siniarski emphasized that 6G’s increased automation and connectivity will introduce new security challenges that must be addressed proactively.
The project will integrate advanced security measures, including AI-driven threat detection and the use of honeypots to monitor threat actors. Siniarski noted that traditional security measures will still play a role but highlighted the importance of emerging AI security technologies. He pointed out issues with network fragmentation, stating, “[Mobile] networks are quite fragmented, so the security systems for those networks are very fragmented.” This fragmentation complicates the security landscape, as data can potentially leak at various stages during transmission.
6G is expected to support a vast number of interconnected devices, driven by the Internet of Things (IoT) and industrial IT. Siniarski explained that the future will see cars communicating with one another and with roadside infrastructure, as well as smart factories and homes. He characterized 6G as “5G with AI on top,” noting that its primary focus will be on managing these new connected devices and the computational demands from widespread AI adoption.
As the project develops, it aims to ensure that security measures are uniformly applied across various stakeholders while also protecting privacy in data processing. Siniarski remarked that traditional AI models often train on data from multiple sources without regard for privacy, which poses additional challenges that Shield-6G seeks to address.
By anticipating the unique challenges of 6G, the Shield-6G initiative aims to create a robust framework for cybersecurity that will protect critical infrastructure such as hospitals and factories, as well as military applications.
