The Security of Cellular Connections

On a typical 4G LTE network connection, your data is encrypted and your identity is authenticated and protected. Wi-Fi networks, on the other hand, can vary widely when it comes to security. It’s possible to connect to an open public network where anyone who knows where to look can intercept your information, or you can be on a password-protected wireless network with high-level encryption and other protective measures. It just depends on the Wi-Fi network.

If you are unfamiliar with the available wireless network nearby and want to be as safe as possible, stick with the LTE data connection. If your data plan is limited or you need more speed than what the cellular network offers, use a virtual private network like F-Secure’s Freedome VPN or Private Internet Access to encrypt your Wi-Fi connection.

Although 4G LTE connections are generally considered more secure, the software is not impenetrable. An international team of researchers from Ruhr-University Bochum and New York University Abu Dhabi has found vulnerabilities in the 4G LTE technology and has written a paper on its findings, but notes that exploiting the security issues in the wild would take a lot of effort and most likely target high-profile individuals like politicians or journalists. Researchers at Purdue University and the University of Iowa also published their own academic findings on 4G LTE security and privacy this year.

Despite the weaknesses that have been discovered in the 4G LTE protocol, protections will hopefully be incorporated into the next big mobile-network technology. AT&T and Verizon have already announced early rollouts of their new 5G networks in certain cities this year, while T-Mobile and Sprintare also gearing up with the new 5G technology, which will be significantly faster than the current 4G LTE service and have its own approach to security.