The Expert Podcast

The rollout of 5G cellular data is going to have a very serious impact on cyber attacks and even cyber insurance. 5G is the next evolution of data that's transmitted by cellular networks through your cell carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc.). All the networks have different iterations, and you've seen 3G, 4G, and now 5G. You might think, "Well, it's just one number more," but it’s really a completely different technology. What it’s going to do is provide very high bandwidth and a much more robust latency, meaning that not only will the data be transmitted faster, but the delay between pinging the data and getting it back will also be faster.

What this is going to do is allow 5G to be used for more types of connections. A lot of the things you have in your office, in your home, or in your vehicle are computers that need to connect to the internet but also need to exchange data very quickly. So you might use your Wi-Fi network, which has good latency, but the cell network may not. That’s why sometimes when you watch videos or play games, you experience lag on your cell phone if it’s 4G. Once you switch to 5G, that lag is going to disappear. There’s going to be more coverage, it’s going to be faster, and what will happen is many — and this is the key right here — many of the devices you have currently on your network at home or in your car are going to switch over from your Wi-Fi to 5G.

Things like your routers, cameras, smart home devices, and even music devices are going to switch to 5G. What that’s going to do is add an additional layer of risk to your network. Right now, if everything goes through your Wi-Fi, there’s one Wi-Fi box in your house or business that can be protected. Everything that’s coming from the outside goes through that Wi-Fi box. So if you lock down that box with good firewalls and coverage, your risk profile will be lower. That’s why it’s important to ensure your Wi-Fi boxes and routers are regularly patched.

But once you go to 5G, all of those devices in your premise are going to connect directly to 5G. Each one of them will technically be a vector point for danger. They won’t be going through your Wi-Fi anymore; they’re all going to connect directly. So instead of having a single security checkpoint like your Wi-Fi box, imagine if you went to an airport where everybody had to go through one security line. What if the airport let people walk in off the street through any door or fence? How would you verify all of those people? This is the scenario with 5G — all the devices on your premise will now need to be protected because they will be hitting different 5G towers.

There will be protocols and security in place for this, but you need to ensure you are doing it the best way. Start by getting a census — a list of all the devices in your network that connect to the internet. Even if they’re currently connecting through your Wi-Fi or another computer, make sure you get a list of all those devices in your home, business, and even your car, so you know what’s there. That way, you can ensure each one of them is protected.

Here’s the thing: even if you say, “Well, I don’t care if somebody connects to my music system — what are they going to do, turn up the volume?” They can certainly do malicious things to that device, but once they’re into your network, that device probably connects to the rest of your network. It becomes a vector entry for a Trojan horse. They can capture that device and use it to get into other devices.

Make sure that prior to this 5G rollout, you get a good list of devices and follow best practices. Seek advice from a qualified cyber insurance expert or your insurance broker to understand what is covered for losses and how to protect your network so the 5G rollout doesn’t put you at more risk.