Nichols Martin
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has conducted a study in an effort to inform stakeholders about ongoing 5G deployments and the early-stage development of 6G technology.
DHS said Thursday its report titled “5G: The Telecommunications Horizon and Homeland Security” tackles current 5G technologies to give stakeholders an image of what to expect in the future.
The report also highlights the risks, uncertainties and opportunities for homeland security with regard to 5G and 6G technologies. Opportunities include those that can expand connected devices and support massive internet of things implementation.
Meanwhile, risks associated with 5G and 6G technologies include supply chain vulnerabilities for information and communications technology, as well as a widened attack surface on networks using the Open Radio Access Network architecture.
S&T also noted that 6G has the potential to accommodate a complex sensing network to augment border security, disaster response and hazard detection.
“Government and private-sector leaders should understand 5G’s current and expected impacts and how 6G is likely to develop if they want their organization to be poised to capitalize on each technology’s enhanced capabilities,” said Mark Fry, S&T’s senior tech scout.
