Securing 5G Networks: Strategies for Prevention, Detection, and Mitigation of Rogue Base Stations

The threat of rogue base stations has become a major worry with the rapid deployment of 5G networks. The user equipment continuously analyzes several parameters during the handover process, such as received signal strength, base station position changes, sensitivity, and signal-to-noise ratio. These metrics are examined for anomalies that could indicate the presence of a rogue base station. However, in the event of network vulnerabilities leading to the failure of the detection system, this work presents a mitigation strategy aimed at preventing the UE from connecting to a rogue base station by applying extra security measures. The mitigation method adds an extra degree of protection against rogue base stations by strengthening existing security mechanisms. This paper also describes a connection recovery strategy in the unfortunate event where if the mitigation mechanism also fails and the UE connects to a rogue base station. This method allows the UE to disconnect from the rogue station and reconnect to a legal base station. The connection recovery mechanism guarantees the integrity and security of the UE’s communication within the 5G network by utilizing modern algorithms and protocols.