Most teams discover 5G security gaps during slice onboarding and interconnect testing, not from their SIEM. Working across different tech companies, we keep seeing the same pitfalls: missing PFCP enforcement on N3 or N4, no SEPP on N32 for roaming, and DDoS controls that spike latency beyond URLLC budgets. The business stakes are real, with the global average breach cost reaching $4.44 million in 2025, per IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report. 5G's expanded attack surface is well documented by CISA's 5G security guidance and ENISA's 5G threat landscape, and it demands tools that understand RAN, core, and edge realities.
The list below covers five platforms that consistently delivered 5G-aware security controls, measurable operational gains, and credible third-party validation. You will learn when to favor inline, PFCP-aware inspection versus SEPP-anchored interconnect protection, how to keep DDoS mitigation within URLLC latency envelopes, when to bring a test rig into the pipeline for xApp or core hardening, and where PKI belongs for device and API trust.
Palo Alto Networks 5G-Native Security
Cloud-delivered Zero Trust security for 5G networks that spans edge, core, and slices, powered by NGFW capabilities and threat prevention. Per Palo Alto Networks documentation, it correlates subscriber and equipment identifiers to traffic and applies policy at N3, N4, and N6.
Best for: Service providers and private 5G teams that need inline, PFCP-aware inspection and slice-level policy tied to subscriber or equipment identity.
Key Features:
- Stateful PFCP inspection on 5G interfaces with UE-to-IP correlation, subscriber ID, equipment ID, and slice ID based policy.
- GTP and SCTP security for user and control plane, plus content inspection on tunneled traffic.
- Centralized management and analytics to extend Zero Trust from edge sites to the core.
Why we like it: Subscriber and slice context at the firewall simplifies enforcement across N3, N4, and N6 without building a parallel toolchain. It also plays well in private 5G where the UPF is at the MEC.
Notable Limitations:
- Pricing and renewals are frequently cited as high, with community threads and analyst recaps noting premium subscription costs and occasional support frustrations (SDxCentral summary of Gartner feedback, user reports on r/paloaltonetworks).
- Some users report management push delays and TAC variability in large SASE or Prisma deployments (recent user thread, another example of mixed experiences: thread).
Pricing: Pricing not publicly available. Contact Palo Alto Networks for a custom quote. For indicative cloud listings unrelated to this specific 5G bundle, you can review vendor offers on major marketplaces, but treat them only as context.
Radware 5G Network Protection
Behavioral-based DDoS and API protection designed for high-throughput, low-latency 5G environments, delivered across hybrid and multicloud footprints.
Best for: Operators and MVNOs needing always-on or on-demand DDoS with low false positives and API attack coverage across 5G control and application planes.
Key Features:
- Adaptive, behavioral DDoS detection across volumetric, protocol, and Layer 7 vectors.
- Hybrid deployment with scrubbing centers and on-prem devices to keep latency budgets in check.
- API and application protection that complements infrastructure defense.
Why we like it: Radware's behavior analytics and hybrid designs help maintain availability during traffic floods without breaking latency targets. Third-party reviews frequently mention strong attack mitigation and workable false-positive rates (PeerSpot reviews).
Notable Limitations:
- Analyst and community feedback highlight that advanced capabilities can add cost and complexity to licensing, especially at scale (PeerSpot overview).
- Feature depth is strong, but some capabilities are gated to higher-tier SKUs or combined bundles, per industry coverage (KuppingerCole summary via newswire).
Pricing: Verified marketplace pricing exists for adjacent Radware services. Example AWS Marketplace listings show Always-On Cloud DDoS at approximately $4,950 per month for 10 Mbps legit traffic, with on-demand options around $2,750 per month at that tier (AWS Marketplace listing). For 5G-specific protection bundles, contact Radware for a custom quote.
Mobileum 5G Security Portfolio
Signaling firewalls and SEPP for 5G SA and NSA interconnect protection, plus cross-protocol defenses spanning SS7, Diameter, GTP, and HTTP/2, per vendor documentation.
Best for: CSP interconnect and roaming teams who need SEPP and cross-protocol signaling protection across legacy and 5G cores.
Key Features:
- SEPP for authenticated, integrity-checked 5G roaming over N32, aligned to 3GPP security architecture.
- Cross-protocol signaling firewall that correlates SS7, Diameter, GTP, and HTTP/2 activity.
- Topology hiding, message filtering, and JSON validation for inter-PLMN flows.
Why we like it: If your biggest gaps are interconnect and signaling, SEPP plus a cross-protocol firewall is the pragmatic baseline. It maps cleanly to how 3GPP defines roaming security.
Notable Limitations:
- Public pricing is scarce and independent product reviews are limited. G2 shows few verified reviews and lacks detailed pricing information (G2 listings).
- The company entered Chapter 11 in July 2024, then successfully emerged in September 2024 with substantial debt reduction, so buyers should ask for current support SLAs and references (Reuters on filing, Reuters on emergence).
Pricing: Pricing not publicly available. Contact Mobileum for a custom quote.
Viavi 5G Security (TeraVM)
Emulation-based testing of gNB, RIC, and 5G core to find vulnerabilities and validate security controls before production. TeraVM can generate realistic RAN and core traffic, including negative and error injection.
Best for: Operators, NEMs, and integrators who want to shift-left security validation for O-RAN, RIC xApps, and 5G core functions.
Key Features:
- Wraparound testing for AMF, SMF, UPF and 3GPP interfaces with error injection for security edge cases.
- RIC test and AI scenario generation to train and validate xApps, rApps against realistic network conditions.
- Lab-to-field Open RAN and core validation with vendor-neutral facilities.
Why we like it: Most production outages and security regressions would have shown up in a realistic emulation rig. TeraVM gives teams a way to test slice behavior, control-plane resilience, and app logic safely.
Notable Limitations:
- Tooling requires lab time, skilled staff, and a CI pipeline to pay off. It is not a drop-in runtime control. Industry news often positions Viavi's capabilities within broader lab investments rather than quick fixes (Light Reading plugfest coverage).
- Public price transparency is low for custom test setups.
Pricing: Pricing not publicly available. Contact Viavi for a custom quote. Viavi's lab as a service for Open RAN, funded through US NTIA programs, is covered in public announcements for context (Viavi announcement).
DigiCert ONE for 5G
Scalable PKI for device identity, API mTLS, code and image signing across 5G infrastructure and ecosystems. Supports private and public trust use cases.
Best for: Teams standardizing on PKI for SIM-less IoT, API mutual auth between NFs, software signing for RIC apps, and certificate lifecycle management.
Key Features:
- Centralized certificate lifecycle management with discovery, automation, and policy.
- PKI for devices, services, and code signing with modernized trust workflows.
- Marketplace availability and recent platform expansion for unified trust.
Why we like it: 5G roaming, API security, and software supply chains all benefit from clean, automated PKI. DigiCert ONE's lifecycle approach reduces outages and audit scramble.
Notable Limitations:
- Reviews often cite higher pricing and occasional integration friction, especially at scale (G2 reviews).
- Detailed price cards are uncommon, and SKU sprawl can confuse unless you standardize on a plan.
Pricing: Public SKUs for Trust Lifecycle Manager exist through resellers, with sample annual prices ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars depending on seats and modules (CDW example SKU, another CDW SKU). DigiCert ONE is listed for private offers on marketplaces, where pricing is negotiated (AWS Marketplace listing). For accurate sizing, contact DigiCert for a custom quote.
5G Network Security Tools Comparison: Quick Overview
| Tool | Best For | Pricing Model | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Networks 5G-Native Security | Inline, PFCP-aware Zero Trust at N3, N4, N6 | Custom quote | Subscriber and slice-aware policy per vendor docs, broad ecosystem momentum, plus private 5G partnerships reported in press (Investopedia). |
| Radware 5G Network Protection | Low-latency DDoS, API protection | Subscription, hybrid, marketplace tiers for adjacent services | Behavioral mitigation with strong third-party feedback (PeerSpot), marketplace pricing for related offerings (AWS Marketplace). |
| Mobileum 5G Security Portfolio | SEPP and cross-protocol signaling firewall | Custom quote | SEPP plus SS7, Diameter, GTP, HTTP/2 coverage aligned with 3GPP roaming guidance (3GPP overview). |
| Viavi 5G Security, TeraVM | Pre-production security testing for RIC, gNB, 5G core | Custom quote | RIC tests and digital twin scenarios for security validation, covered in industry news (Light Reading). |
| DigiCert ONE for 5G | PKI for devices, APIs, and code signing | Subscription, reseller SKUs, marketplace private offers | Lifecycle PKI with marketplace presence and expanding platform footprint (AWS Marketplace, G2). |
5G Network Security Platform Comparison: Key Features at a Glance
| Tool | PFCP, Slice-aware Policy | SEPP, Interconnect Security | DDoS, API Protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Networks | Yes, per documentation | Indirect, focuses on inline controls | Complements with threat prevention |
| Radware | Indirect | Indirect | Yes, behavioral DDoS and API protection |
| Mobileum | Indirect | Yes, SEPP plus signaling firewall | Indirect |
| Viavi TeraVM | Test and validate PFCP behavior | Validate SEPP behaviors in lab | Emulate attacks for validation |
| DigiCert ONE | Certificate-based policy, mTLS | PKI underpinning SEPP trust chains | mTLS and signing support for APIs |
5G Network Security Deployment Options
| Tool | Cloud API | On-Premise | Integration Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Networks | Yes | Yes | Medium, NGFW plus subscriptions, per environment scale. |
| Radware | Yes | Yes | Medium, hybrid designs and routing changes for scrubbing. |
| Mobileum | Yes | Yes | Medium to high, interconnect and signaling integration. |
| Viavi TeraVM | Yes | Yes | Medium to high, lab setup and CI integration. |
| DigiCert ONE | Yes | Yes | Medium, PKI discovery, automation, and policy rollout. |
5G Network Security Strategic Decision Framework
| Critical Question | Why It Matters | What to Evaluate | Red Flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you need inline PFCP and slice-aware enforcement or just interconnect security? | N3, N4, N6 versus N32 determines tool fit. | Subscriber, equipment, slice ID correlation and PFCP handling. | Treating PFCP as opaque, or no mapping of UE to IP. |
| What latency budget can your mitigation add during attacks? | URLLC and MEC workloads are sensitive. | Always-on vs on-demand DDoS, scrubbing path RTT, bypass policies. | One-size-fits-all scrubbing without latency SLOs. |
| How will you validate RIC, gNB, and core security changes before rollout? | Shift-left avoids outages and security regressions. | Test coverage for xApps, error injection, CI integration. | No lab coverage for security edge cases. |
| Where does PKI sit in your 5G trust model? | Roaming, APIs, devices, and signing rely on robust PKI. | mTLS across NFs, device identity at scale, automated lifecycle. | Manual cert ops, undocumented trust anchors. |
5G Network Security Solutions Comparison: Pricing & Capabilities Overview
| Organization Size | Recommended Setup | Monthly Cost | Annual Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small to midsize private 5G | Palo Alto inline controls plus DigiCert for PKI. | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Regional operator | Mobileum SEPP and signaling firewall, Radware DDoS, DigiCert PKI. | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Tier-1 operator | Viavi TeraVM lab validation plus a mix of inline, interconnect, and PKI. | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| API-heavy 5G edge apps | Radware DDoS or WAAP tier and DigiCert PKI for mTLS, with lab validation. | Marketplace tiers start around a few thousand monthly for related Radware services | Custom quote |
Problems & Solutions
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Problem 1, Roaming interconnect exposure
Why it happens: 3GPP highlighted that legacy SS7 and Diameter trust models exposed inter-PLMN signaling to impersonation and tampering, which is why 5G introduced SEPP and N32 protections (3GPP SA3 overview, 3GPP 33.501 synopsis).
How tools help:- Mobileum, SEPP and signaling firewall apply end-to-end protection and topology hiding, aligned to N32 guidance.
- DigiCert ONE, provides the PKI backbone for mutual auth and certificate lifecycle, which is essential for the N32 model.
- Viavi TeraVM, validates SEPP policy negotiation and error handling in the lab before roaming partners go live.
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Problem 2, PFCP and N6 blind spots
Why it happens: Inline devices often lack PFCP context, which prevents subscriber or slice-aware policy at N3 or N4. ENISA's 5G landscape stresses operational and architectural complexity as a driver of exposure.
How tools help:- Palo Alto Networks, per documentation, performs stateful PFCP inspection and maps UE to IP with subscriber, equipment, and slice IDs for precise policy at N3, N4, and N6.
- Viavi TeraVM, emulates PFCP errors and load to confirm your enforcement actually triggers under stress.
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Problem 3, DDoS against 5G control and application planes
Why it happens: DDoS remains a top tactic and can disrupt public sector and telecom services, with agencies flagging rising risk and urging stronger controls (ENISA press brief, context on telecom targeting and secure comms from Reuters).
How tools help:- Radware, behavioral DDoS mitigation lowers false positives and offers hybrid designs that keep latency budgets in check, as echoed in peer reviews.
- Viavi TeraVM, can replay floods in a controlled lab, so your runbooks and scrubbing routes get tested before a real incident.
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Problem 4, API and software supply chain risk across 5G functions
Why it happens: 5G core and RIC ecosystems are API-heavy, and breach costs remain high, with the 2025 global average at $4.44M per incident (IBM report).
How tools help:- DigiCert ONE, centralizes code and image signing and automates mTLS for APIs, reducing manual gaps.
- Viavi TeraVM, fuzzes and error-injects at interfaces to surface vulnerabilities early.
- Radware, WAAP and API defenses complement identity and signing to reduce exploit paths.
The Bottom Line on 5G Network Security
5G changes where and how you enforce security, so your stack should mirror the architecture: PFCP-aware inline controls for N3 or N4, SEPP for N32 interconnect, low-latency DDoS, a lab to break things before production, and PKI to bind identities and software. That combination lines up with the risks called out by CISA's 5G security guidance and 3GPP's roaming security model for SEPP. If you can only do three things this quarter, add PFCP context to enforcement, stand up SEPP for roaming, and pressure-test your RIC and core changes in a lab. Your time to value will be measured in the incidents you never ship to production.
