CNS Core: Small: Collaborative Research: The Interplay of Markets and Security in 5G Shared Spectrum Services

This proposal addresses security issues for spectrum access in 5G wireless networks using shared spectrum. It has been recognized that meeting the targeted requirements for 5G will the use of more flexible spectrum access paradigms, such as the recently finalized rules for the 3.5 GHz CBRS band. These new paradigms will result in new market structures for providing wireless services. However, the greater flexibility can also lead to an increase in the security vulnerabilities of wireless systems. These two issues are inherently coupled. For example, the emerging market structures can impact the security a firm can offer to its customers and the firm’s willingness to develop and deploy technology to improve on this. Moreover, in many spectrum sharing paradigms there may be different types of interacting firms such as service providers, database operators, etc. The economic and technological interactions among these firms will dictate the resulting security level given to end-users. Such interactions are not well understood in general. The goal of this proposal is to develop a deeper understanding of the interactions between security and markets in emerging spectrum sharing paradigms.