The UK5G Testbed and Trials Working Group was created to understand the specific challenges in the UK’s 5G ecosystem, as well as coordinate progress across the trials and testbeds taking place to uncover potential use cases for 5G. And in recognition of the significance of cybersecurity to the acceleration of 5G, the working group has launched a security sub-group – which Plexal (through our cybersecurity programme LORCA) has been invited to join.
The working group will be led by Mark Hawkins, a fellow and 5G technical lead at defence technology company QinetiQ. The group, which will provide security guidance to 5G testbeds in the UK, spans a cross-section of leaders from academia, industry and the government:
- Woon Hau Chin, research manager, Toshiba Research Europe
- Stephen Douglas, solutions and technical strategy lead, Spirent Communications
- Tracey Sheehan, global advisory committee leader, Utility Technology Council
- Francesca Serravalle, emerging technology director, Colt Technology Services
- Mark Shepherd, National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC)
- Adrian M, NCSC
- Anas Tawileh, managing director, Systematics Consulting Inc.
- Saj Huq, programme director, Plexal and LORCA
- Ciara Mitchell, head of cyber, ScotlandIS
- David Cuckow, head of digital, British Standards Institution (BSI)
- Darwin Darwin, director of penetration testing, CGI
- Greig Paul, research engineer, electronic and electrical engineering, University of Strathclyde
- Mike Lee, consultant,Ofcom
- James Cook, deputy head, Office for Artificial Intelligence at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
Together, its members will identify security gaps, solve security problems and showcase good end-to-end security practices. The ultimate goal is to build trust in 5G and support its secure rollout in the UK.
Paul Beastall, a UK5G advisory board member and chair of the Testbed and Trials Working Group, explained why the security sub-group is so important:
“We see the 5G Testbeds and Trials testing use cases that involve both mission critical data (such as between high speed vehicles or factory machines) and personally sensitive data (such as in a health or social care setting), highlighting how 5G solutions will need to have security at the heart of their design. I am delighted that we are able to build on the great capability and expertise within the UK to ensure that we are able to develop and prove security best practice alongside high value use cases that will deliver value to end users.”
