Analyst(s): Fernando Montenegro
Publication Date: March 6, 2025
As the tech industry descends to Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, focusing on all things telecom, Palo Alto Networks takes the opportunity to announce that it has launched Prisma Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) 5G, a cloud-delivered security offering aimed at securing enterprise 5G networks through service providers. By integrating components such as Zero Trust security, SIM-based authentication, and Precision AI-driven threat detection, the offering aims to enhance security across 5G environments.
What is Covered in this Article:
- Palo Alto Networks introduces Prisma SASE 5G, integrating Zero Trust security, SIM-based authentication, and AI-enabled threat detection for enterprise 5G networks.
- Expanding 5G adoption increases cyber risks, with evolving threats, zero-day exploits, and insecure IoT devices widening the attack surface.
- SIM-based authentication and AI-powered Zero Trust components aim to enhance visibility, policy enforcement, and protection against evolving cyber threats.
- Partnerships with Nokia, NTT DATA, NVIDIA, and Telenor integrate security into private 5G networks, improving threat detection and policy enforcement.
The News: Palo Alto Networks has announced Prisma SASE 5G, a cloud-native Zero Trust security offering designed to assist service providers in securing enterprise 5G connectivity. The offering integrates directly with 5G networks, aiming to enhance security, global coverage, and network resilience. A key component is SIM-based authentication, which is intended to improve device identification and policy enforcement. Additionally, more modern, AI-powered threat detection is incorporated to help protect against advanced cyber threats across the internet, SaaS platforms, and private enterprise environments.
Alongside this introduction, Palo Alto Networks has expanded its private 5G security partnerships, collaborating with Nokia, NVIDIA, NTT DATA, and Telenor to integrate security into enterprise 5G deployments. The company is also working toward advancing Zero Trust adoption, partnering with organizations like Singtel and NTT DATA to reinforce SASE and 5G security offerings for enterprises.
Palo Alto Networks Expands Prisma SASE 5G to Bolster 5G Security Options
Analyst Take: With 5G adoption gaining momentum, service providers are under increasing pressure to embed security into their networks. The expansion of attack surfaces and organizations’ growing concern about AI-enabled threats suggest a need for offerings that extend beyond traditional defenses. While SIM-based authentication contributes to identity security, AI-powered real-time threat detection is an important factor in addressing evolving risks.
Palo Alto Networks is positioning Prisma SASE 5G as a potential option for service providers looking to integrate security into 5G infrastructure while also exploring avenues for enterprise protection and monetization.
The Growing Cybersecurity Challenges in 5G Adoption
The growth of 5G connectivity has introduced new security considerations. With a significant increase in connected devices, enterprises are facing an expanded attack surface, raising concerns about potential vulnerabilities. Modern, AI-enabled threats, zero-day exploits, and advanced evasion tactics are making conventional security strategies appear less effective.
The presence of IoT devices further complicates security efforts, as many lack built-in protections, potentially creating entry points for cyber threats. Given the combination of 5G networks’ high throughput and the ubiquity of automation and API access to systems, threats can spread rapidly, increasing the need for real-time security enforcement. Beyond data breaches, such risks may also lead to operational disruptions, financial setbacks, and regulatory compliance issues.
To navigate these challenges, enterprises and service providers may benefit from adopting security frameworks that blend identity-based protections with proactive threat defense. SIM-based authentication can be a valuable component in preventing unauthorized access, but it may need to be complemented by additional security capabilities to help counter emerging cyber risks.
Securing 5G Networks with SIM-Based Authentication and AI-Powered Zero Trust
Service providers could enhance 5G security by integrating SIM-based identities with Zero Trust architectures. Prisma SASE 5G is designed to allow organizations to enforce security policies based on international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and international mobile equipment identity (IMEI). This approach may improve visibility across 5G devices, applications, and network activity, helping establish more controlled access and potentially strengthening security governance.
To be clear, adopting SIM-based authentication is not unique to Palo Alto Networks. Indeed, Versa Networks collaborated with T-Mobile back in 2023 to release this capability. Still, the popularity of Palo Alto Networks’ SASE offering makes the topic note-worthy.
Beyond authentication, Prisma SASE 5G incorporates access to the broader Palo Alto Networks capabilities for real-time threat detection, which the company claims can already identify up to 9 million new attacks and block 30 billion threats daily. This offering extends security coverage to enterprise traffic across the Internet, SaaS, private applications, and IoT/OT devices. The Zero Trust model emphasizes continuous traffic verification, aiming to reduce exposure to zero-day threats, malware, and modern cyberattacks. By combining SIM-based authentication with real-time threat intelligence, Prisma SASE 5G aims to provide service providers with an option for reinforcing enterprise 5G security.
Service Providers: Security as a New Revenue Opportunity
Historically, service providers have focused primarily on connectivity, with security often treated as a secondary consideration. However, as enterprises increasingly seek stronger security assurances for 5G-connected devices and applications, there is a growing demand for security to be integrated into network infrastructure.
Prisma SASE 5G presents an additional avenue for service providers to incorporate security as an embedded feature within enterprise 5G offerings, moving beyond a connectivity-first model. By leveraging a SASE cloud interconnect, the offering enables rapid integration with 5G networks, with a focus on enhancing protection for data, devices, users, and applications while supporting global coverage, data sovereignty, and network reliability.
Expansion of Private 5G Security Partnerships
To extend its 5G security capabilities, Palo Alto Networks has announced partnerships with Nokia, NTT DATA, NVIDIA, and Telenor. These collaborations seek to integrate security offerings into private 5G deployments, with a focus on improving visibility, threat detection, and policy enforcement.
By embedding security at the network level, these partnerships aim to support industrial IoT, critical infrastructure, and mobile networks without adding significant operational complexity. As private 5G adoption progresses, organizations appear to be prioritizing built-in security measures. These partnerships place Palo Alto Networks in a position to compete in the service provider-driven 5G security market.
Final Thoughts
The development of 5G is reshaping service providers’ roles, shifting them from connectivity enablers to security stakeholders. As enterprises look for stronger protections across their 5G environments, security is becoming a business priority rather than an afterthought.
Identity-based security controls and Zero Trust architectures are gaining traction as a means to address evolving cyber risks, particularly as AI-enabled attacks continue to advance. With competitors like Versa Networks, Fortinet, and Ericsson strengthening their 5G-centric security strategies, Palo Alto Networks is positioning its offering as an option for service providers seeking to incorporate security directly into 5G networks.
What to Watch:
- How will Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma SASE 5G fare against other SASE offerings tailored to service providers and similar use cases? Offerings from Versa Networks, Fortinet, and Ericsson, among others, could shape how service providers evaluate 5G security offerings, influencing adoption strategies.
- The effectiveness of AI-enabled threat detection and SIM-based authentication will determine whether enterprises see Prisma SASE 5G as a viable alternative to existing offerings.
- Enterprise demand for Zero Trust security in 5G environments will drive further innovation, potentially leading to additional partnerships and acquisitions in the sector.
- Regulatory requirements around 5G security and data sovereignty could impact how service providers implement security frameworks, affecting Prisma SASE 5G’s adoption.
The complete press release on Prisma SASE 5G and Palo Alto Networks’ expanded 5G security partnerships is on the Palo Alto Networks website.
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:
Kyndryl Strengthens Security Play with AI-Powered SASE Offering
OpenText Launches Core TDR, But Can It Stand Out in a Crowded XDR Market?
Ericsson Open RAN, Apple C1 & Telstra Open Programmable 5G
Author Information
Fernando Montenegro serves as the Vice President & Practice Lead for Cybersecurity at The Futurum Group. In this role, he leads the development and execution of the Cybersecurity research agenda, working closely with the team to drive the practice's growth. His research focuses on addressing critical topics in modern cybersecurity. These include the multifaceted role of AI in cybersecurity, strategies for managing an ever-expanding attack surface, and the evolution of cybersecurity architectures toward more platform-oriented solutions.
Before joining The Futurum Group, Fernando held senior industry analyst roles at Omdia, S&P Global, and 451 Research. His career also includes diverse roles in customer support, security, IT operations, professional services, and sales engineering. He has worked with pioneering Internet Service Providers, established security vendors, and startups across North and South America.
Fernando holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and various industry certifications. Although he is originally from Brazil, he has been based in Toronto, Canada, for many years.
