Trustworthy Computing for O-RAN: Security in a Latency-Sensitive Environment

Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/ReportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Sebastian Haas - , Barkhausen Institut (Author)
  • Mattis Hasler - , Barkhausen Institut (Author)
  • Friedrich Pauls - , Barkhausen Institut (Author)
  • Stefan Kopsell - , Barkhausen Institut (Author)
  • Nils Asmussen - , Barkhausen Institut (Author)
  • Michael Roitzsch - , Barkhausen Institut (Author)
  • Gerhard Fettweis - , Barkhausen Institut (Author)

Abstract

New 5G/6G mobile networks will allow to run distributed multi-tenancy workloads with high requirements on latency, throughput, and energy efficiency. This also demands a transformation of the underlying radio access networks (RANs) towards an architecture with open-source software, heterogeneous hardware, and interoperable interfaces as already described by the O-RAN ALLIANCE. In principle, virtualization of the RAN allows for defining additional interfaces which can be used for system verification and therefore can increase the trustworthiness of implementations. However, due to many security risks induced by the current O-RAN specification, it requires to rethink the overall security architecture from the ground up to establish trustworthy mobile networks in general.In this paper, we discuss hardware-enforced capabilities as a structuring principle for future O-RAN architectures. We present our approach of a hardware/operating system co-design to implement these principles. The evaluation results of architectural components demonstrate the technical feasibility of our approach and illustrate that security and low latency can be achieved simultaneously.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2022 IEEE Globecom Workshops (GC Wkshps)
PublisherIEEE Xplore
Pages826-831
Number of pages6
ISBN (electronic)978-1-6654-5975-4
ISBN (print)978-1-6654-5976-1
Publication statusPublished - 2022
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

SeriesIEEE Globecom Workshops

Workshop

Title2022 IEEE Globecom Workshops
Abbreviated titleGC Wkshps 2022
Duration4 - 8 December 2022
Website
Locationonline
CityRio de Janeiro
CountryBrazil

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-0466-562X/work/142246129

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Latency, O-RAN, Operating System, Security, Tiled Architecture