How it will affect critical sensor applications

 Rapid advances in wireless communications mean that integrators must re-evaluate the safety and application of security sensors, such as those used for gunshot detection. We live in an era where wireless communications and remote computing are advancing at an incredible rate. For some applications, such as consumer products like thermometers or smart refrigerators, the development of a cybersecurity policy may only need to be concerned with the extent to which a particular manufacturer implements equipment connectivity agreements. For other applications, such as smart city technologies, such as transportation systems or devices that monitor the power grid, cybersecurity becomes a more complex and serious topic. When it comes to gunshot detection sensors, we typically advise our clients on the topic of network device security because we know that these sensors and the data they carry are critical to the safety of law enforcement, first responders and their users. In this regard, the rise of 5G and WiFi 6 will certainly have an impact on gunshot detection technology. Mature Communication Technologies Begin to Overlap Simply put, 5G will be the latest technology standard for a very wide range of highly mobile communications applications; and, as most of us will intuit, WiFi 6 is for multi-device connectivity in smaller areas of businesses and homes. While each technology touts higher data throughput, lower latency and higher security, it may be less obvious that the two technologies are already moving into each other's territory. The increase in Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as weather stations on city buildings, is forcing the WiFi development community to find better ways to connect more devices in the larger public domain. On the 5G side, factories that choose to create in-house 5G networks will benefit from assembly line robots and material supply resources that can share large amounts of data with virtually zero latency. For embattled physical security professionals about to be bombarded with the latest vendor marketing hype, two questions jump to mind: What should I look for when considering devices that use these technologies? When should I start thinking about upgrading my sensors and network platforms? The good news: data security is getting better 5G and WiFi 6 were both developed by IT standards organizations that understand the importance of connected devices and data security. For example, 5G was developed specifically with the following features in mind: resiliency, communication security, identity management, privacy and security assurance. For WiFi 6, the Wi-Fi Alliance is now requiring WPA3 level security certification for all Wi-Fi 6E devices - eliminating backward compatibility with older WiFi-enabled devices, which often leads to security vulnerabilities. WiFi 6 will also now implement encryption for all user data. One important thing to remember is that these technologies may soon not be offered by vendors as an "either/or" solution - for example, your phone can connect to both. In fact, these technologies are complementary, as large companies or cities can use devices that use either 5G or WiFi 6 or both. For more detailed information on the security features and benefits of 5G and WiFi 6, see Cisco's recently released white paper at https://bit.ly/CiscoWhitepaper. The bad news: increased risk As the old saying goes, only a bad craftsman blames his tools. While both 5G and WiFi 6 offer powerful performance and security features, poor implementation or configuration can create security vulnerabilities. Here are some of the issues that need to be addressed with both technologies. Do customers really need 5G or WiFi 6? The previous WiFi standard (WiFi 5) specified a theoretical speed of 3.5 Gbps; WiFi 6 proposes a maximum theoretical speed of 9.6 Gbps. Both exceed the standard cable speeds that hover around 1 Gbps. If these were the only statistics under consideration, one would think that every IoT manufacturer should rush to adopt these new technology tools; however, it is well known that existing laboratory performance is followed by actual performance. In a recent study, analysts determined that if you are less than 6 feet from a WiFi router, the best data transfer speed for WiFi 5 signals is about 867 Mbps (for more information see: www.increasebroadbandspeed.co.uk/realistic-speeds- wi-fi-5 and wi-fi-6). This is well below the standard cable speed and is still susceptible to signal interference and interception. Should you pay close attention to WiFi 6 and 5G? The answer depends on the organization's goals. WiFi 6 and 5G show that more devices can now connect at higher speeds - but does this really need to be for security purposes? If a customer is connecting hundreds of users with high data throughput needs - such as a school full of students using virtual reality headsets, or an entire stadium full of fans accessing augmented reality smartphone apps - the answer is yes. However, if the end user only needs to send 1 Mb of data per second - the equivalent of 1 minute of compressed MP3 audio or 10 megapixel pictures from a digital camera - then the answer is a resounding no. Applying it to gunshot detection sensors Manufacturers of critical sensors, such as gunshot detection sensors, must ensure that these devices are always available and that the data they transmit is not tampered with. Availability in this case means that sensors, whether wireless or PoE cable connections, must always be able to send data to a centralized software application. The new WiFi standard is interesting and provides new analysis work for engineering teams. For a typical gunshot detection client, we would first recommend as many wired PoE sensors as possible associated with the structure being monitored. Traditionally, wired has always provided better stability, bandwidth and latency than wireless, as well as providing reliable power (no batteries required). Interrupting or attempting to manipulate the signal from the sensor is extremely difficult. If a cable cannot be connected to the sensor, then a wireless-enabled sensor must be used; however, we do not use traditional WiFi frequencies for wireless gunshot detection sensors. This is partly due to the often complex and confusing compatibility challenges between wireless access points (APs) and endpoints, as there are often incompatibilities between the two. Another reason to avoid conflicts with enterprise wireless networks is to ensure that traffic between the gunshot sensor and the back-end application does not compete with other services. This will help prioritize the sending of sensor health and shot detection messages - important considering that sending critical messages is key to having a shot detection system in the first place. Finally, the use of "standard" WiFi frequencies may not be optimal due to building structures and other physical interferences common in most corporate or educational facilities. Data transmission stability and security As vendors begin to roll out IoT sensors and devices that leverage 5G and WiFi 6, security professionals will need to work with end-user IT departments to understand how their current infrastructures will interact with these new systems. Sometimes the best solutions are those designed to run completely off the existing IT network platform. For example, the Guardian indoor wireless gunshot detection sensor utilizes LoRa (long-range) wireless communication, which is common in the IoT space because of its lower power consumption, longer range, ability to operate at different (sub-Ghz) frequencies and - mostly importantly - not interfere with other WiFi installations. Given that the sensors do not transmit large amounts of data (no voice or acoustic data, only text data averaging about 0.5 KB per second), there is no need to burden end users with expensive, complex components that may add unknown variables to their IT security environment. Finally, when evaluating data transmission, WiFi technologies operating at higher frequencies (such as the new WiFi 6 standard) are reportedly unable to penetrate physical barriers such as concrete walls as effectively as older technologies operating at lower frequencies. Most physical security professionals have enough work to do without becoming IT security experts. While it's a vendor's job to explain why new technology advances will help someone perform more effectively, their primary responsibility should always be to provide a proven and effective solution. Upgrading to new technologies is best accomplished through smaller, pilot-based programs that allow integrators and end users to evaluate all aspects of the new platform - especially how to address issues such as backward compatibility.