Towards 5G Zero Trusted Air Interface Architecture

5G is destined to be supporting large deployment of Industrial IoT (IIoT) with the characteristics of ultra-high densification and low latency. 5G utilizes a more intelligent architecture, with Radio Access Networks (RANs) no longer constrained by base station proximity or proprietary infrastructure. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) covers telecommunication technologies including RAN, core transport networks and service capabilities. Open RAN Alliance (O-RAN) aims to define implementation and deployment architectures, focusing on open-source interfaces and functional units to further reduce the cost and complexity. O-RAN based 5G networks could use components from different hardware and software vendors, promoting vendor diversity, interchangeability and 5G supply chain resiliency. Both 3GPP and O-RAN 5G have to manage the security and privacy challenges that arose from the deployment. Many existing research studies have addressed the threats and vulnerabilities within each system. 5G also has the overwhelming challenges in compliance with privacy regulations and requirements which mandate the user identifiable information need to be protected. In this paper, we look into the 3GPP and O-RAN 5G security and privacy designs and the identified threats and vulnerabilities. We also discuss how to extend the Zero Trust Model to provide advanced protection over 5G air interfaces and network components

High molecular weight dissolved organic matter enrichment selects for methylotrophs in dilution to extinction cultures

The role of bacterioplankton in the cycling of marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) is central to the carbon and energy balance in the ocean, yet there are few model organisms available to investigate the genes, metabolic pathways, and biochemical mechanisms involved in the degradation of this globally important carbon pool. To obtain microbial isolates capable of degrading semi-labile DOM for growth, we conducted dilution to extinction cultivation experiments using seawater enriched with high molecular weight (HMW) DOM. In total, 93 isolates were obtained. Amendments using HMW DOM to increase the dissolved organic carbon concentration 4x (280 μM) or 10x (700 μM) the ocean surface water concentrations yielded positive growth in 4–6% of replicate dilutions, whereas <1% scored positive for growth in non-DOM-amended controls. The majority (71%) of isolates displayed a distinct increase in cell yields when grown in increasing concentrations of HMW DOM. Whole-genome sequencing was used to screen the culture collection for purity and to determine the phylogenetic identity of the isolates. Eleven percent of the isolates belonged to the gammaproteobacteria including Alteromonadales (the SAR92 clade) and Vibrio. Surprisingly, 85% of isolates belonged to the methylotrophic OM43 clade of betaproteobacteria, bacteria thought to metabolically specialize in degrading C1 compounds. Growth of these isolates on methanol confirmed their methylotrophic phenotype. Our results indicate that dilution to extinction cultivation enriched with natural sources of organic substrates has a potential to reveal the previously unsuspected relationships between naturally occurring organic nutrients and the microorganisms that consume them.Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Grant GBMF3298)Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Grant GBMF #3777)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Science and Technology Center (Grant ER0424599)Simons Foundatio