We live in an era where wireless communication and remote computing are advancing at an incredible pace. For some applications, such as consumer products like thermometers or smart refrigerators, cybersecurity strategies may only need to focus on the extent to which a particular manufacturer implements device connectivity protocols.
For other applications, such as smart city technologies, like transportation systems or devices that monitor power grids, cybersecurity becomes a more complex and serious issue.
When it comes to gunshot detection sensors, we typically advise our clients on network device security, as we understand that these sensors and the data they carry are critical to the safety of law enforcement, first responders, and their users. In this regard, the rise of 5G and WiFi 6 will undoubtedly impact gunshot detection technology.
Mature communication technologies are beginning to overlap
In short, 5G will be the latest technology standard for a wide range of mobile communication applications; while as most of us would intuitively think, WiFi 6 is for multi-device connectivity in smaller areas of businesses and homes.
While everyone is touting the higher data throughput, lower latency, and greater security of each technology, what may not be so obvious is that these two technologies are beginning to encroach on each other's territory. The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices—such as weather stations on city buildings—is forcing the WiFi development community to find better ways to connect more devices in the larger public domain.
In terms of 5G, factories that choose to create internal 5G networks will benefit from the ability to share large amounts of data with assembly line robots and material supply resources with near-zero latency.
For struggling physical security professionals about to be bombarded with the latest vendor marketing hype, two questions pop into their heads: What issues should be considered when choosing devices that use these technologies? And when should I start thinking about upgrading my sensors and network platforms?
Good news: Data security is getting better and better.
Both 5G and WiFi 6 were developed by IT standards organizations that understand the importance of networked device and data security. For example, the development of 5G specifically considered the following functions: resilience, communication security, identity management, privacy, and security assurance.
Regarding WiFi 6, the Wi-Fi Alliance now requires all Wi-Fi 6E devices to have WPA3-level security certification—eliminating backward compatibility with older WiFi-enabled devices, which often leads to security vulnerabilities. WiFi 6 will also now encrypt all user data.
An important thing to remember is that these technologies may soon no longer be offered by vendors as an "either/or" solution—for example, your phone could connect to both simultaneously. In fact, these technologies are complementary, as large companies or cities can use devices that use 5G or WiFi 6, or both. For more detailed information on the security features and benefits of 5G and WiFi 6, please refer to Cisco's recently released white paper at: https://bit.ly/CiscoWhitepaper.
Bad news: Increased risk
As the old saying goes, only a bad craftsman blames his tools. While both 5G and WiFi 6 offer powerful performance and security features, poor implementation or configuration can create security vulnerabilities.
Here are some of the problems that these two technologies need to address:
Do customers really need 5G or WiFi 6?
The previous WiFi standard (WiFi 5) specified a theoretical speed of 3.5 Gbps; WiFi 6 proposed a maximum theoretical speed of 9.6 Gbps. Both exceed the standard cable speed, which hovers around 1 Gbps.
If these were the only statistics to consider, one might assume every IoT manufacturer should be rushing to adopt these new technological tools; however, it's well known that laboratory performance precedes real-world performance. In a recent study, analysts determined that the optimal data transfer speed for a WiFi 5 signal is approximately 867 Mbps if you are less than 6 feet from a WiFi router (more information can be found at: www.increasebroadbandspeed.co.uk/realistic-speeds-wi-fi-5 and wi-fi-6). This is significantly lower than standard cable speeds and remains susceptible to signal interference and interception.
Should you be paying close attention to WiFi 6 and 5G? The answer depends on your organization's goals. WiFi 6 and 5G mean more devices can now connect at higher speeds—but is it really necessary for security purposes? If a customer is connecting hundreds of users with high data throughput needs—like a school full of students using virtual reality headsets, or an entire stadium of fans accessing an augmented reality smartphone app—the answer is yes. However, if the end user only needs to send 1 Mb of data per second—equivalent to 1 minute of compressed MP3 audio or a 10-megapixel image from a digital camera—then the answer is resounding: no.
Apply it to gunshot detection sensors
Manufacturers of critical sensors (such as gunshot detection sensors) must ensure that these devices are always available and that the data they transmit is not tampered with. Availability in this context means that the sensors, whether wireless or Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable-connected, must always be able to send data to a centralized software application.
The new WiFi standard is interesting and provides new analytical work for engineering teams. For a typical gunshot detection client, we would first recommend as many wired PoE sensors as possible associated with the monitored structure. Traditionally, wired connections have always offered better stability, bandwidth, and latency than wireless connections, as well as providing reliable power (no batteries required). Interrupting or attempting to manipulate signals from sensors is extremely difficult.
If a cable cannot be connected to the sensor, a wireless-enabled sensor must be used; however, we do not use traditional WiFi frequencies for wireless gunshot detection sensors. This is partly due to the often complex and confusing compatibility challenges between wireless access points (APs) and endpoints, as incompatibilities frequently exist between the two.
Another reason to avoid conflicts with the enterprise wireless network is to ensure that traffic between the gunshot sensors and backend applications does not compete with other services. This will help prioritize sending sensor health and gunshot detection messages—which is important given that sending critical messages is key to having a gunshot detection system in the first place.
Finally, the use of "standard" WiFi frequencies may not be optimal due to building structures and other physical interference common in most companies or educational facilities.
Data transmission stability and security
As vendors begin rolling out IoT sensors and devices that utilize 5G and WiFi 6, security professionals will need to work with end-user IT departments to understand how their current infrastructure will interact with these new systems.
Sometimes, the best solution is one designed to operate entirely independently of existing IT network platforms. For example, the Guardian indoor wireless gunshot detection sensor utilizes LoRa (long-range) wireless communication, which is common in the IoT space because it offers lower power consumption, longer range, the ability to operate at different (sub-GHz) frequencies, and—most importantly—not interfering with other WiFi installations.
Since the sensors do not transmit large amounts of data (no voice or acoustic data, only about 0.5 KB of text data per second on average), there is no need for end users to bear expensive, complex components that may add unknown variables to their IT security environment.
Finally, when evaluating data transmission, it has been reported that WiFi technologies operating at higher frequencies (such as the new WiFi 6 standard) are not as effective at penetrating physical barriers such as concrete walls as older technologies operating at lower frequencies.
Most physical security professionals have enough work to do without having to become IT security experts. While the vendor's job is to explain why new technological advancements will help someone execute more effectively, their primary responsibility should always be to provide proven and effective solutions.
Upgrading to new technologies is best done through smaller, pilot-based initiatives that allow integrators and end-users to evaluate all aspects of the new platform—especially how backward compatibility is addressed.
