Researchers Uncover 84 Critical Flaws in 4G and 5G Core Networks
In July 2026, researchers from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University disclosed 84 security vulnerabilities in 4G and 5G core networks, collectively termed implicit trust errors (iTrue). These flaws, found in open-source LTE/5G core implementations, stem from unchecked trust between core network functions, enabling attackers to execute denial-of-service (DoS) attacks and session hijacking by exploiting signaling interfaces like GTP-C and PFCP. The vulnerabilities affect widely used open-source LTE/5G cores, including Open5GS, free5GC, OpenAirInterface, SD-Core, and eUPF. The study highlights the risks associated with cloud-native deployments, where traditional physical isolation is replaced by software-defined architectures, increasing the attack surface. The researchers developed an LLM-assisted system, iFinder, to identify these vulnerabilities, emphasizing the need for rigorous validation and resource checks in core network components to prevent such exploits.
Kill Chain