With the introduction of 5G and the considerations for 6G, the security of telecommunications networks is becoming increasingly important. However, in addition to a significant increase in speed, capacity and connectivity, they also pose challenges for data security. Especially in critical applications such as the monitoring and control of rail and energy networks as well as autonomous vehicles and robots, it is crucial to ensure reliable and secure networks. Special cases such as closed-loop applications already meet these requirements, but this is generally not yet the case for open architectures such as 5G/6G networks.

A project for secure communication networks

In the "RealSec5G" project, Fraunhofer IPMS and consortium leader Albis-Elcon System Germany are aiming to develop and test a communication solution that increases data reliability and security for 5G/6G applications. The project aims to combine deterministic requirements in the form of real-time capability, redundancy and transmission guarantees as well as data security in a cost-effective and easy-to-integrate system. Fraunhofer IPMS is designing a TSN-MACsec function block for this purpose, which is to be tested as part of a demonstrator.

"The acronym MACsec stands for Media Access Control Security and is a security standard specified by the IEEE for the protection of Ethernet-based networks. It ensures the confidentiality and integrity of Ethernet frames," explains Dr. Frank Deicke, Division Director Data Communication and Computing at Fraunhofer IPMS. "Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) extends a number of Ethernet specifications to include time synchronization and deterministic communication." The final implementation and its performance analysis are being carried out in cooperation with Albis-Elcon.

Goal: Support data rates in the multi-gigabit range

The aim of the project is to support high data rates in the multi-gigabit range and to test and evaluate them on a practical, comparatively inexpensive FPGA platform (off-the-shelf module) in a realistic test environment. Together with Albis-Elcon, the project strengthens the innovative power in the core area of the value chain in Germany.

Both project partners believe that successful completion of the project will result in a large number of relevant exploitation opportunities that, despite technological risks, can be expected to be exploited quickly and effectively due to the wide range of safety-critical applications in Germany. In addition to the focused sectors of energy and transportation, the project solution can be scaled in other application scenarios of critical infrastructure. These include applications in the areas of government and administration, healthcare, information technology and telecommunications.