To make sure that the 5g rollout in Pakistan occurs in a safe, controlled and secure fashion, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has released its 5G Security Guidelines 2025. The guidelines concern safeguarding the telecom infrastructure, critical services and user data in Pakistan as the country gears towards next-generation mobile networks.
PTA has already indicated that security is on the list of priorities of the 5g roll out in Pakistan. The authorities claim that 5G is not merely about the speed of the internet. It also will serve such critical areas as digital governance, smart cities, healthcare, industry, and public safety. Due to this reason, any vulnerability to security would have severe national and economic impacts.
In order to comply with the global best practices, the guidelines are coordinated with international security standards, such as 3GPP, GSMA, and ITU, and NIST ones. Such alignment will ensure that the 5g implementation in Pakistan is in line with international standards of security.
PTA clarified that 5G networks are highly contrasting to the previous mobile networks. Given the fact that 5G is based on cloud-based systems, virtualization, and software-driven services, the threat of a cyberattack is significantly increased. The challenge of minimizing such risks is met by the implementation of a Unified Authentication Framework by PTA that enhances security through the centralized verification of mobile and non-mobile network access.
Another significant subject of the guidelines is the privacy of users. PTA has enforced the use of Subscription Concealed Identifier (SUCI) technology. This will avoid unlawful tracking, IMSI snatching, and air surveillance in the 5g implementation in Pakistan. Besides this, the home network will regulate authentication to minimize roaming fraud and bar unauthorized access to the network.
The authority has also introduced very high encryption standards, including TLS 1.3 and AES-128 and prohibited old and weak algorithms, including MD5 and SHA-1. The following steps are to make communication safer in all 5G services.
Network Slicing has been given special consideration through which various virtual networks can run on the same physical infrastructure. PTA has directed PTA has mandated intense isolation of these slices primarily of sensitive areas, such as IoT, industrial systems and emergency services to ensure safety during the 5g rollout in Pakistan.
In the case of core network, PTA has enhanced Service-Based Architecture (SBA) security. These involve APIs protection, OAuth 2.0 authorization, mutual TLS authentication, and Service Communication Proxies to manage data flow. In the case of international roaming, the operators are required to apply Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP) to inhibit spoofing and inter-operator cyberattacks.
PTA has also cautioned that the end-user machines, Internet of Things (IoT) appliances, and edge computers are significant security risks. Networks may be vulnerable to attacks due to poor software updates, old hardware, and weaknesses of third-party hosting. The core network systems are of particular concern because any attack will interfere with the authentication services and even interfere with the entire national communications during the 5g rollout in Pakistan.
Mobile tower and radio access site physical security threats have also been pointed out. Besides that, PTA also mentioned administrative risks, including insider threats, ineffective identity management, and inefficient access controls.
In order to minimise such risks, the guidelines propose a Zero Trust Security Model, in which no user or device is automatically trusted. PTA has also recommended the deployment of Security Operations Centers (SOC) by telecom operators, the deployment of the SIEM systems, and the use of AI-based tools in real-time threat detection and monitoring.
Lastly, PTA focused on the role of future readiness, such as post-quantum crypto-readiness, good governance, frequent security audits, and tight coordination among telecom operators, vendors, and regulators. These measures are believed to be necessary to create a secure, dependable and trusted atmosphere of the 5g implementation in Pakistan.
