4G ‘inherently less secure’ than 3G

The UK will soon become the third largest 4G market in Europe, with nearly 8 million people connected, but with growing 4G adoption there are greater risks to privacy and personal data than ever before, experts warn.

A major new threat to mobile users comes from the switch to IP (Internet Protocol), according to security firm Cloudmark. 4G mobile networks are all-IP, whereas 3G networks are a combination of IP and mobile signalling protocols (SS7).