Kagan: Betacom AirGap Protection strengthens private network security

Kagan: Betacom AirGap Protection strengthens private network security

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Betacom is introducing AirGap Protection. This is a network architecture focused on enhancing cybersecurity for its flagship offering called Betacom 5G as a Service or 5GaaS. This is what enterprise customers both want and need. 

One of the most rapidly growing segments in the wireless industry is private networks using 4G and 5G. Companies and enterprises prefer private wireless because it gives them more control and increased security and keeps the signal off the public networks. 

Now, Betacom is taking security to a new level with their new AirGap Protection. This strengthens security even more on the private network which benefits the enterprise customer.

Betacom briefed me on this initiative, and it looks like what every enterprise customer both wants and needs. Enhanced security and control for their communications. 

This takes security on private wireless network technology to an entirely new level. It is the next step in an ongoing battle enterprise fight whether they use public or private wireless networks.

They say the cyber defense enhancements provide multi-layered security to reduce the risk, complexity and cost of adding industrial automation and IoT applications into the enterprise environment. 

This delivers a foundation for the next phase of economic and business evolution driven by wireless connectivity, automation, AI or Artificial Intelligence, ML or Machine Learning and real-time data.

Betacom AirGap Protection takes Zero Trust approach to private wireless

This new defense completely isolates both 4G and 5G wireless traffic from an enterprise’s existing IT infrastructure and it takes a Zero Trust approach to harden every network element.

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This technology uses use a combination of traffic segregation, 3GPP tunneling, encryption and granular access controls.

It limits the impact of malicious activity. In addition, AirGap Protection makes it easier to deploy new services without impacting the performance of other enterprise systems.

Betacom says it does this by working on a separate level, which lets it be conflict free with existing systems.

Enterprise customers are increasingly concerned about the safety of their data. That’s why Betacom says this new architecture is designed to protect against known threats to industrial and other mission-critical services. 

This includes, but is not limited to supply chain attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, stolen credentials, session hijacking and denial of service.

Enterprises are faced with ever-increasing cybersecurity threat level

Today’s enterprise is faced with an ever-increasing threat level. That means there must be an ever-increasing cybersecurity force to protect them. 

This is why AirGap is so important. It provides more visibility and control over network security so enterprises can confidently deploy new services that automate their operations and eliminate the insecurity that Wi-Fi systems present.

Betacom says their AirGap service will be first deployed in their private 5G networks at MxD, which operates the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing.

Betacom AirGap Protection first depoloyed at MxD

MxD works with industry and government leaders to develop new tools to address the pain points of manufacturers at its Chicago facility.

This sounds like a great way to showcase this new technological solution to the growing security threat. 

Increasingly, companies are deploying private wireless networks. As they do, they are always concerned about the security risks. Even though private wireless is more secure than public wireless, it is an ever-evolving challenge. 

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Betacom says their multi-layered approach along with this new AirGap Protection, can help customers alleviate risks by enhancing intrusion detection and prevention strategies.

As enterprises launch private wireless networks, they need security

Going forward, I fully expect every private wireless competitor will start to work on their own version of this kind of enhanced security. 

Private wireless is here to stay. Competitors are growing in this space. 

That means cybersecurity will play an ongoing and increasingly important role in the safety of private enterprise data.

This next level of security is indeed impressive. However, don’t expect this to be the last. 

Rather, think of this as the next step in the ongoing battle between private enterprise customers and those wanting to break into their systems. This is just the next step in that ongoing battle. 

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