As wireless networks transition to 5G technology, they could enable a host of new capabilities ranging from autonomous vehicles to surgery performed at a distance — but they also will place new cybersecurity demands on industry. A new draft publication from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is designed to help network operators navigate the demands while delivering the new features 5G is designed to provide.

The publication describes a standalone 5G network that NIST's National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) is constructing, largely for the purpose of demonstrating 5G cybersecurity capabilities in different situations. The network, which the NCCoE team is constructing from off-the-shelf commercial technology, is currently being deployed, and the team is seeking comments on the publication in part to ensure the finished network will allow the researchers to develop practical ...