Analyst(s): Ron Westfall
Publication Date: March 17, 2025
What is Covered in this Article:
- Cybersecurity has consistently proved a top priority in conversations, flying under the radar about hot topics like AI/GenAI and network APIs.
- The adoption gains of 5G continue to significantly expand the number of connected devices and the data they generate, creating a larger attack surface.
- Key mobile ecosystem players DT, Vodafone, IBM, AWS, Palo Alto Network, Nokia, and Microsoft provided critical updates and announcements at the show that spotlight security’s vital role in improving mobile ecosystem outcomes.
The News: The annual 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in Barcelona brought together 109,000 attendees from 205 countries and territories, including 2,900+ exhibitors, sponsors, and partners, as well as 1,200+ speakers and thought leaders, for a week of announcements, panels, and insightful, far-reaching conversations on the future of the mobile ecosystem. The show emphasized 5G and AI as key drivers of the mobile ecosystem, with security standing out as an integral requirement for 5G and AI innovations to have enduring success, as confirmed through a wide range of discussions and top-priority vendor initiatives.
MWC 2025: Why Mobile Security Matters More than Ever
Analyst Take: MWC Barcelona 2025 once again proved itself as the pivotal hub for tech companies and key players across the mobile ecosystem to spotlight their key portfolio development and marketing initiatives. This year’s event highlighted remarkable advancements across various fields, showcasing the dynamic progression of the worldwide mobile ecosystem. From my point of view, cybersecurity played a prominent role in representing a messaging accomplishment due to heavy spotlighting around important mobile ecosystem topics such as AI, connectivity/5G, network APIs, and geopolitical concerns.
However, security proves that technology and capabilities are integral to underpinning the overall success of the mobile ecosystem in the foreseeable future. Key takeaways from stimulating and insightful conversations at the show demonstrate why:
Deutsche Telekom (DT)
DT spotlighted how AI enables a new generation of digital decoy traps, “honeypots 2.0”, that are more efficient in every respect. They require even fewer resources and keep criminals away from the “real” systems for longer. DT now gains data about the attackers’ tactics and tools alongside developing new “Wi-Fi Sensing” technology to boost connectivity with more intelligence in the future and turns the router into a “digital watchdog” with a Wi-Fi sensing zone based on Wi-Fi signals from routers and Wi-Fi-capable devices.
Unlike traditional honeypots, these AI-powered traps can react dynamically to create the illusion of a successful intrusion while analyzing hacker tactics. This keeps cybercriminals engaged longer, providing more valuable data on their methods and tendencies. The AI-powered honeypots can manage resources efficiently and distribute them across multiple sites, creating a large and coordinated network to draw attackers’ attention. The system evolves by learning from new attack patterns and developing and implementing dynamic defense strategies.
This adaptive capability ensures that these honeypots remain effective against evolving cyber threats. As such, honeypots offer seamless integration with existing security systems, enhancing DT’s overall cybersecurity posture.
Vodafone and IBM
The pair announced a collaboration to protect customers and their data from future risks related to quantum computers when browsing the Internet on their smartphones. The collaboration leverages IBM’s expertise in quantum-safe cryptography, including algorithms co-developed with NIST, to implement PQC standards into existing infrastructure. The companies developed a new proof of concept using the IBM Quantum Safe technology to enhance Vodafone Secure Net, Vodafone’s popular mobile all-in-one digital security service used by millions of customers, to protect against anticipated quantum security risks. Available in several European countries, Vodafone Secure Net protects users against phishing, malware, and identity theft on Vodafone’s mobile and fixed networks.
As quantum computing advances, it poses a significant threat to current encryption methods. The collaboration takes on strategic importance since it aims to future-proof Vodafone’s encryption methods against potential quantum-enabled attacks, including “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks. Cybercriminals are already collecting encrypted data with the intention of decrypting it in the future when quantum computers become more powerful. This proactive approach can help mitigate this risk.
AWS and Palo Alto Networks
AWS supports implementing a 5G end-to-end security model based on Zero Trust principles. This can be achieved using solutions such as Palo Alto Networks’ 5G-native security solution, which includes Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) for securing network function applications and mobile subscribers and Prisma for securing cloud application images, code, and templates.
Also, AWS Private 5G integrates with AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), which helps to securely access and manage AWS services and resources, including all devices connected to the AWS Private 5G network. Prisma Cloud offers web application and API security (WAAS) functionality to reduce the attack surface of the 5G service-based architecture (SBA). This includes denial of service (DoS) protection and API discovery, critical for protecting network functions deployed as part of the SBA.
I believe that AWS security features can help underpin best practices, enabling organizations to create secure and sound 5G and mobile network infrastructures protected against an evolving array of threats. This includes spotlighting how it enhances API security as network APIs become more integral to telco service innovation, such as building capabilities essential for AI-driven applications like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), industrial robotics, and conversational AI. APIs can help ensure glitch-free video conferencing or enable precise geolocation for connected mobility solutions. As such, AWS is a strong candidate for investing portfolio development and marketing resources toward building a more complete SASE offering.
Nokia and Microsoft
Nokia provided an update on NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome, Nokia’s security orchestration software suite offering pre-built 5G use cases for telco and critical infrastructure. This included how the solution provides visibility across multiple networks, cloud infrastructure, and endpoints, the new telco GenAI assistant that improves protection efficiency in terms of threat identification and resolution, and how training uses a multitude of categories of information.
Nokia NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome is built on XDR architecture, providing visibility across multiple networks, cloud infrastructure and endpoints. It can unify security control points, offer security telemetry, and provide analytics alongside operations in a single view. The new telco GenAI assistant integrated into Cybersecurity Dome can strengthen XDR capabilities by interpreting vast amounts of info related to cyber threats, improving protection efficiency in terms of threat identification and resolution.
From my perspective, the key to Nokia Cybersecurity Dome solution differentiation is spotlighting how using telco-focused GenAI assistant based on LLMs within Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service have been trained on insights from 5G Network architecture, 5G Security practices, and Nokia’s telco domain expertise. The training uses a multitude of categories of info, including 3GPP & NIST network architecture specs; 5G topology spanning RAN, Transport & Core; and MITRE ATT&CK & FiGHT (5G Hierarchy of Threats) for mapping adversary tactics. As a result, Nokia can drive thought leadership around sharpening Nokia’s AI portfolio capabilities, which align with AI expertise and become the top selection criteria for how organizations evaluate solutions.
Looking Ahead
Overall, I believe that cybersecurity portfolio development and marketing will be more integral in the near-term and long-term success of mobile network integrity, including 5G service innovation. As MWC 2025 confirmed, mobile networks transmit vast quantities of sensitive information, including personal health data and critical infrastructure-related data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. The moves and updates by Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, IBM, AWS, Palo Alto Networks, Nokia, and Microsoft show that cybersecurity vigilance is vital to delivering improved customer experience and business outcomes throughout the global mobile ecosystem.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
Other insights from The Futurum Group:
T-Mobile Starlink, New Nokia CEO & Qualcomm Results – Six Five Webcast: The 5G Factor
Palo Alto Networks Expands Prisma SASE 5G to Bolster 5G Security Options
MWC 2025: Qualcomm and IBM Raise GenAI Competitive Stakes
Author Information
Ron is an experienced, customer-focused research expert and analyst, with over 20 years of experience in the digital and IT transformation markets, working with businesses to drive consistent revenue and sales growth.
He is a recognized authority at tracking the evolution of and identifying the key disruptive trends within the service enablement ecosystem, including a wide range of topics across software and services, infrastructure, 5G communications, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), analytics, security, cloud computing, revenue management, and regulatory issues.
Prior to his work with The Futurum Group, Ron worked with GlobalData Technology creating syndicated and custom research across a wide variety of technical fields. His work with Current Analysis focused on the broadband and service provider infrastructure markets.
Ron holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from University of Nevada — Las Vegas and a Bachelor of Arts in political science/government from William and Mary.
