Fast and Accurate DDoS Mitigation for 5G CSPs
In this document, we will discuss the challenges of securing 5G networks, the limitations of traditional DDoS mitigation approaches, and the advantages of using DPI-based DDoS mitigation. We will also explore the benefits of combining DPI-based DDoS mitigation with next generation firewalls. By the end of this document, you will have a better understanding of how to protect your 5G network from DDoS attacks and ensure a high quality of experience for your users.
According to the document , traditional DDoS mitigation solutions use network data as their primary source for detecting network-layer attacks. This information is processed by various technologies to detect, alert, and mitigate attacks when they occur. The two most common network data sources used by DDoS mitigation solutions are deep packet inspection and flow-based statistical traffic sampling. However, in the context of 5G DDoS challenges, inline deep packet inspection is far superior to flow-based statistical traffic sampling. This is because flow-based systems typically export flow records when the flow is 60 seconds old, which represents a full minute of delay before the router starts sending evidence of an ongoing attack. Given the latest trend of pulse attacks, which are characterized by massive, short spikes, this method completely fails. By the time the data arrives at the DDoS detection component and mitigation can be triggered, the pulse may already be over, and the damage done. In addition, NetFlow systems also aggregate their data samples before exporting them, which means a loss of data specificity, making it more difficult to detect attacks that require correlation between different flows. Finally, when routers export more data for detecting DDoS attacks, more processing power is required, and the solution becomes much less cost-effective.
According to the document , DPI-based detection requires an inline deep packet inspection element to be deployed with the CSP. This element is capable of obtaining complete traffic captures, including both headers and payload, without aggregation or sampling. The DPI devices are typically high-speed elements that do not introduce significant latency to the network (microsecond scale). The granular data they inspect not only help to detect attacks, but also serve a variety of important network performance and security services. CSP requirements, especially those related to 5G eMBB, mMTC and URLCC, highlight some of the advantages of this method of detection over others. Allot’s DPI-based inline solution uses a high-scale, machine learning-based detector, designed to handle large amounts of information. This means the detection is much faster and more accurate, with higher confidence in triggering mitigation. DPI-based DDoS mitigation collects granular and detailed information, which improves the mitigation accuracy and delivers quality forensics that the CSP can use to strengthen defenses, either in real-time during attacks or through post-attack analysis.
Combining DPI-based DDoS mitigation with next generation firewalls for 5G networks offers several advantages, as mentioned in the document : 1. Reduction of Latency: An integrated firewall/DPI solution could separate the traffic monitoring and threat detection functions and process them in parallel, significantly reducing the inserted latency. This approach enables additional functional expansion without the risk of additional latency, preserving one of the major Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in 5G networks. 2. Comprehensive Protection: Such a solution provides comprehensive protection from both inbound and outbound attacks, as well as advanced traffic management and application detection capabilities to protect the performance of mission-critical applications during cyberattacks. 3. Unified User Interfaces and Shared Functionality: Unifying user interfaces and shared functionality enable the overall reduction of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for the combined, comprehensive solution. By combining DPI-based DDoS mitigation with next generation firewalls, communication service providers can efficiently protect their 5G network services without increasing latency and ensure comprehensive protection against cyber threats.