Securing Telecom Networks: The role of Network Assurance and Network Inventory

The Rising Tide of Cyber Threats in Telecom

From ransomware to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, the telecom industry faces a growing spectrum of risks. Additional nefarious techniques include Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks and SIM swapping / cloning as well as physical layer attacks.

But before getting into the techniques or prevention measures, we’ll first take a closer look at the Cybersecurity challenges faced by network operators and their clients today:

·       Data Breaches: Operators are custodians of vast amounts of sensitive information, making them attractive to hackers

·       Network Disruptions: Incidents such as DDoS or MitM attacks and associated infrastructure vulnerabilities can cripple service reliability

·       Third-Party Risks: Increasing reliance on external vendors introduces supply chain vulnerabilities

·       Evolving Attack Surfaces: As new network technologies like 5G and IoT are added to the legacy network mix, the potential entry points for attackers (known as attack surfaces) are steadily increasing

·       Client / Market Expectations: In the past, the onus of cyber-protection mechanisms often fell on the end users. Today, there is greater expectation on the network operators to provide secure network links and related cyber protection services

To address these challenges, all telecom operators are already integrating security-focused practices into their network assurance strategies. Just as there are many different cyber-attack techniques, there are also a variety of protection mechanisms used by network operators and their clients. Protection today requires a more sophisticated, holistic approach.

Network Assurance’s Role in Securing Networks

Traditional OSS tools aren’t widely leveraged for cyber purposes yet. However, in the context of modern cyber threats, OSS do have the potential to play a bigger part in securing the network than they typically do today. Network Assurance tools ensure that a telecom network functions as intended, delivering reliable service with minimal interruptions. The NOC (Network Operations Centre) and SOC (Security Operations Centre) often work in isolation. Yet both SOC and NOC reactively (and sometimes proactively) observe the behaviours, operations and performance of the network and services that run over it. Both often even have the ability to enact security measures and mitigate risks and can be used in complementary ways.

OSS and Network Assurance tools often comprise of the following essential capabilities:

1.      Real-Time Monitoring: Continuous observation of network performance and potential vulnerabilities

2.      Monitoring of Administrative Changes: Not only do these systems monitor network performance, but they also log administrative behaviours for changes to networks, management tools and even in the configuration of network services. They also have the ability to analyse the networks and services for compliance with engineering rules and security standards

3.      Incident Response / Management: Efficient response systems to detect and mitigate security breaches

4.      Network Infrastructure Awareness: Complex networks, network management systems and network services introduce many interrelated incursion points

5.      Resilience Planning: Strategies to ensure service continuity during and after attacks.

SunVizion collaborates closely with partners to provide solutions for enhanced Network Assurance. It provides a range of solutions—such as Network Inventory, Service Fulfillment, and others—that contribute to the broader goals of Network Assurance by ensuring operational reliability, service quality and data integrity.

Network Inventory’s Role in Securing Networks

The MITRE ATT&CK framework is a comprehensive knowledge base of adversarial tactics and techniques used in cyberattacks. While network inventory management is not a direct cybersecurity tool, it can support the implementation of security strategies aligned with frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK by enhancing network visibility, situational awareness and the ability to identify anomalies or vulnerabilities.

The following list suggests ways in which SunVizion Network Inventory can assist (where the TA identifiers are MITRE ATT&CK references):

·       Initial Access (TA0001): By providing a detailed map of all assets, including physical, logical and virtual components, network inventory helps identify unauthorised devices or access points that attackers might exploit to gain initial access

·       Discovery (TA0007): Comprehensive inventory data can detect unusual activity such as unauthorised scans or probes of network infrastructure, which are tactics attackers use to learn about network topology and vulnerabilities

·       Privilege Escalation (TA0004): By maintaining updated records of network devices and their configurations, the system can highlight irregular privilege assignments or unexpected configuration changes that attackers might exploit

·       Lateral Movement (TA0008): Knowing the precise layout of network assets and interconnections enables telecom operators to identify and isolate compromised segments, limiting attackers' ability to move laterally

·       Command and Control (TA0011): Inventory systems that monitor active connections can help identify unexpected outbound communication to command-and-control servers, a hallmark of an active intrusion

·       Impact (TA0040): When responding to attacks like ransomware or DDoS, detailed inventory data helps operators identify affected assets quickly and focus remediation efforts on the most critical infrastructure. It also aids post-incident investigations, such as collecting artifacts, logs, and reconstructing the chain of events of the breach. Being able to generate a visual map of network topology could even help investigators reconstruct the attacker’s movement through the network, from initial access to lateral movement and data exfiltration

·       Reconnaissance (TA0043): Identifies potential points of interest for adversaries by analysing network topology and usage patterns, enabling operators to secure those areas proactively

Service Fulfilment’s Role in Securing Networks

Service Fulfilment also isn’t typically recognised for the role it plays in ensuring network security. However, service provisioning via standardised, optimised, automated workflows reduces human error during configuration and deployment. This leads to more compliant and secure networks by minimising the chance of misconfigurations, enforcing access controls, and maintaining consistent adherence to regulatory and security standards.

Closing Notes

It’s already well known in the telco industry that SunVizion OSS/BSS suite provides telecom operators with tools to optimise the design, operations and maintenance of telco networks. What’s less well known is that their ability to enhance network visibility, streamline operations, and strengthen network assurance can be beneficial for addressing key security challenges.

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, telecom operators are embracing comprehensive security practices. SunVizion’s tools have the potential to strengthen those security foundations for telecom network operators if used imaginatively.