The US National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) has published an initial public draft 5G cybersecurity white paper examining “false base stations” and their potential to intercept or disrupt cellular communications.
The draft, titled “Cybersecurity White Paper (CSWP) 36G, False Base Station,” focuses on how low-cost, off-the-shelf hardware and software can be used to mimic legitimate carrier equipment. NIST said the paper evaluates how 5G devices respond to six simulated false base station scenarios and reviews mitigations, including device-configurable protections.
False base stations—also referred to as rogue or fake base stations—impersonate a real carrier radio access network, transmitting and receiving signals that resemble a legitimate 5G cell and attempting to lure user equipment to connect. NIST said possible impacts include service degradation, privacy breaches and location tracking. While 5G standards add security features compared with earlier mobile generations, NIST noted systems can still be susceptible to denial-of-service attacks.
NIST said the paper forms part of the NCCoE’s work to support adoption of 5G security features through demonstrations on its 5G security testbed and by providing implementation guidance for network operators and other stakeholders.
The draft is open for public comment through October 31, 2026, via the NCCoE 5G cybersecurity project page.
