5G has security flaws that could let hackers track your location

The news: Security researchers have identified 11 design vulnerabilities with 5G protocols that could expose a user’s location, spoof emergency alerts, track phone activity (calls, texts, or web browsing), or silently disconnect the phone from the network altogether.
How do they know? The flaws were identified using a custom tool the researchers built called 5GReasoner, which they used to identify five further vulnerabilities carried over from 3G and 4G. The findings were presented at a security conference in London yesterday. You can read the paper here.
Time is running out: Although they still face technical and regulatory barriers, 5G networks are starting to roll out in a few major cities worldwide, offering faster speeds and (we are told) greater security for users. Plugging these security holes will be an urgent task.
What’s next: The researchers have now sent their findings to the mobile network standards body, the GSMA, which has said it is working on fixes. The body has already listed the research in its “Hall of Fame.”
Deep Dive
Computing
The future of open source is still very much in flux
Free and open software have transformed the tech industry. But we still have a lot to work out to make them healthy, equitable enterprises.
What’s next for the world’s fastest supercomputers
Scientists have begun running experiments on Frontier, the world’s first official exascale machine, while facilities worldwide build other machines to join the ranks.
The beautiful complexity of the US radio spectrum
The United States Frequency Allocation Chart shows how the nation’s precious radio frequencies are carefully shared.
How ubiquitous keyboard software puts hundreds of millions of Chinese users at risk
Third-party keyboard apps make typing in Chinese more efficient, but they can also be a privacy nightmare.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.