5G Wireless Technology and its Impact to Consumers and Enterprises

As 5G wireless technology is being adopted fully, both consumers and companies are benefiting from quicker broadband access - projected speeds are one hundred times faster than the present 4G technology.

While 5G data speeds might potentially equal those of high-speed Wi-Fi, which is a plus to users since there would be no downtime or delays, it may give cybersecurity thieves an advantage.

For quite some time, consumers have seen advertisements applauding the impact of 5G on consumers. Most of these messages are from cellular service providers, which may lead the typical viewer to assume that introducing 5G signifies nothing more than that their phones would have more stable connections. In actuality, the potential of 5G is even bigger.

Tech experts argue that with its much higher download and upload speeds, 5G has the potential to transform how we live and work. While I may not see a few of the most significant benefits until 5G's global reach is expanded, the technology already is transforming entertainment, networking, big data, and other industries.

So, where has 5G already had an impact? The impact of 5G to businesses and customers has already been realized, according to 13 tech industry professionals from Forbes Technology Council.

As 5G technology develops more, both companies and individuals should revisit their security posture because this new wireless communications technology expands the attack surface in new and unexpected ways, according to Rui Lopes, engineering and tech support director at Panda Security, a provider of IT security solutions in Burlington, Massachusetts.

While security of 5G has improved in certain aspects over 4G technology, new vulnerabilities are identified almost daily. Because this current technology is built on a vast network of minor, approximately short-distance antennas, a hacker can easily "spoof a rogue antenna, comparable to a stingray strategy and flood a system with denial-of-service attacks, set up surveillance, or even distributed disinformation," according to Lopes.