Huawei Seeks to Collaboratively Build an IoT Industry Ecosystem and Leverage the Telecom Network 2017 London Tech Week

[TechXLR8, an event at the 2017 London Tech Week, is being held from June 13 to June 15. Huawei is showcasing their latest IoT and 5G achievements.]

Rouzbeh Farhoumand, Huawei's Senior Director of Technical Standards Department, gave a keynote speech at TechXLR8, saying that an open ecosystem and reliable telecom network are fundamental factors for building an intelligent world where all things will be intelligent, and capable of detecting one another to provide ubiquitous connectivity. He also called for industry cooperation to build a better connected world.

Rouzbeh Farhoumand, Huawei's Senior Director of Technical Standards Department

Building an IoT Industry Ecosystem

Rouzbeh Farhoumand said that the IoT industry is at the critical stage of development and an open and healthy ecosystem, using the powerful IoT platform, is beneficial for industry integration and market expansion. Huawei's OceanConnect IoT platform integrates IoT devices and applications from partners using serial Agent and abundant APIs. With an IoT partnership plan, Huawei's OceanConnect IoT platform carries out joint marketing activities with partners and implements the technology enablement plan for developers by providing the developer community, regional OpenLab, and Remote Lab. Currently, Huawei has built the Glocal IoT ecosystem with the IoT platform at its core, which includes more than 500 global and regional partners in key industries including Smart Home, Connected Car, Smart City, and the manufacturing industry.

Leveraging the Value of Telecom Networks

Current telecom networks are highly reliable, of high-quality, and provide excellent operability, which is critical in the IoT development. To meet the growing IoT service requirements, NB-IoT and 5G technologies are gradually being developed by the industry. Huawei, as the leader in NB-IoT technologies, will continuously promote the development of industry standards and assist operators in developing NB-IoT services including smart metering, smart building, and bicycle sharing. Huawei has also established a wireless application scenario lab named XLabs. Based on its 5G core solution, that is Service Oriented Core, Huawei and leading operators including Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone made researches on new 5G technologies, such as network slicing and eMBB. The aim is to jointly create innovative services, such as industrial control, smart driving, and Smart Home.

[Welcome to the Huawei booth located at #5G620]

Which Attacks Must Be Prevented in Addition to WannaCry Ransomware?

The WannaCry ransomware attack is an ongoing global cyberattack that uses a cryptoworm which targets computers running Microsoft Windows, encrypting data and demanding ransom payments via Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency and digital payment system. The attack started on Friday, 12 May 2017 and has been described as unprecedented in scale, infecting more than 200,000 computers in over 150 countries.^[1] In less than a week, WannaCry has evolved into a global public security threat.

Map of the countries initially affected^[1]

So far, the economic loss caused by the ransomware attack has not been released officially, but the estimated loss will be significant. Which attacks should enterprises be weary of? Which must be prevented? Avoiding another type of WannaCry ransomware attack is essential.

As early as two years ago, it was reported that enterprises suffered from phone flooding attacks, which also demanded ransom payments. If ransom was not paid, enterprise communication services would be crippled, causing vast losses for business.^[2]

There are two types of common security threats to enterprise communication services. One is the Phone flooding type, which is a Telecommunication Denial of Service (TDoS) attack that attempts to disable enterprise communications systems. This type of attack could cripple an enterprise, such as call centers, that mainly provide communication services.

The other type of attack is toll fraud. Hackers attack enterprise communication systems, such as a SIP Private Branch Exchange (PBX), to call international information centers for illegal profits. In 2013, Melissa, the owner of a ReMax office in America was shocked by a high phone bill, totaling close to $600,000 for calls she did not make. Hundreds of calls were made to Somalia, Guinea, and Azerbaijan, which had no business relationship with the ReMax office.^[3]

So what can we do to resolve security issues on an enterprise communication network?

The Huawei Enterprise Session Border Controller (eSBC), our most advanced enterprise communication security device, is deployed at the border of the enterprise network to help enterprises solve two major security issues.

Huawei eSBC

1. Defense against various types of TDoS attacks using IDS

• The eSBC constantly analyzes user behavior in-depth, and identifies attacks and takes security measures, protecting authorized user rights and eliminating the impact of network attacks on enterprise services.

2. Prevention, attack defense, and fraud prevention, protecting enterprises against toll fraud

• Prevention: Huawei eSBC supports message proxy and topology hiding, to hide IP addresses and ports, preventing attackers from finding targets on enterprise networks.

• Attack defense: Huawei eSBC defends against brute-force cracking attacks. Attackers cannot log in to an enterprise network or commit fraud.

• Fraud prevention: Huawei eSBC supports CAC, granting user-specific call rights and preventing toll fraud caused by account leaks.

Huawei eSBC also supports the following functions to protect the enterprise services of authorized users:

• Overload protection for valid services: Huawei eSBC supports service-aware flow control, ensuring the high-priority user and emergency service success rates during peak hours.

• Bandwidth control: Huawei eSBC restricts bandwidth resources available to a user to prevent overuse of resource.

• Communication encryption: Huawei eSBC supports signaling and media encryption, securing communication content and preventing disclosure of business information caused by session hijacking.

Huawei eSBC has been globally deployed on thousands of enterprise networks in many industries, including government, finance, energy, education, transportation, and telecommunications.

Huawei eSBC, always securing your enterprise networks.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WannaCry_ransomware_attack

[2] http://gd.people.com.cn/n/2015/1111/c123932-27076522.html

[3] http://www.missourinet.com/2013/05/16/remax-office-owner-hit-by-phone-fraud-600000-bill

Huawei Cloud Surveillance Systems Remain Reliable in the Face of a Global Ransomware Attack

Is your computer infected today?

Source: https://securelist.com/blog/incidents/78351/wannacry-ransomware-used-in-widespread-attacks-all-over-the-world/

Or even if your computer luckily defends against this attack, your antivirus software continuously alerts you to the full intrusion of this attack.

On the morning of May 12, 2017, the WannaCry ransomware spread globally, affecting the UK, the US, Russia, China, and eventually over 150 countries. Dedicated networks of government institutions, large enterprises, and college campuses were among the targets of the attack.

Globally, video surveillance systems designed to ensure public safety and security have also been seriously affected by the virus.

According to reports, normal services across dedicated public security networks in China have been hit by the attacks. Video surveillance platforms connected to thousands of cameras have been affected, leaving many blind spots in public safety and security surveillance. Video surveillance vendors have since urged public security departments to shut down video surveillance systems temporarily for patches to be applied and the integrity of networks restored.

How can you prevent such problems before they happen?

The ransomware affects only machines running on Windows. Because Huawei's Video Cloud Node (VCN) and Video Content Management platform (VCM) run on Linux, they have not been affected by these large-scale cyber-attacks. As a result, the system has maintained normal operation.

In addition to running on Linux, Huawei's video surveillance cloud platform is equipped with mechanisms to defend against ransomware and other cyber-attacks, ensuring system safety and security. These mechanisms include:

1.    Security hardening for Linux

Cyber-attackers gain access to operating systems through insufficiently protected ports. Huawei has disabled the ports that are not required, minimizing the risk of attack.

2.    Removal of root user operations

Service systems run the corresponding program to remove root user operations and minimize file permissions. If the system is attacked, this mechanism minimizes potential damage by preventing the attack to the system and network from becoming more embedded.

3.    Hierarchical key mechanism

Sensitive information has been encrypted. Non-reversible passwords are iterated 10000 times using Pbkdf2, and reversible passwords are encrypted using AES256+iv. Furthermore, the system uses a hierarchical key management mechanism, so even if the encrypted information is disclosed, it cannot be decoded.

4.    End-to-end channel and media protection

Security modules are embedded into the IPCs, network devices, and video surveillance platforms. End-to-end secure channels are established from the front-end IPC to the platform. The media files and image data are encrypted, helping to ensure channel security while protecting the content.

Video surveillance systems running Windows are now highly vulnerable to the WannaCry ransomware attacks, posing a threat to public safety and security. Starting May 13, Huawei has been helping video surveillance customers migrate services and ensure the safety and security of their network and systems.

Huawei MEC@CloudEdge Builds a Ubiquitous Edge Network

[Beijing, China, April 27, 2017] At 2017 MEC Technology and Industry Development Summit, Guo Jianhua, PS MEC chief marketing expert for Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, delivered a keynote speech "MEC@CloudEdge Builds a Ubiquitous Edge Network", which demonstrated the MEC evolution process, Huawei MEC solution architecture, and application scenarios.

Guo Jianhua, PS MEC chief marketing expert for Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, delivered a keynote speech

In 2012, Huawei and Vodafone jointly proposed the original MEC concept. In 2014, six carriers and communications equipment vendors, including Huawei and Vodafone, worked together to set up a MEC work group for ETSI. In 2016, MEC-related techniques were written into 5G specifications and MEC had become a native feature of the mobile core network. Since then, MEC developed rapidly.

As a MEC solution towards 5G, Huawei MEC@CloudEdge solution co-deploys applications, contents, and some service processing and resource scheduling functions of the MBB core network at the radio access network (RAN) edge. This solution processes services in close proximity to subscribers and coordinates applications, contents, and networks, offering a reliable and improved service experience.

Technical highlights of Huawei MEC@CloudEdge solution are as follows:

• Uses the cloud native architecture and techniques, such as stateless design, hardware and software decoupling, cross-DC deployment, service-oriented architecture, and automated O&M integration, to improve reliability, flexibility, and performance when resources are limited.
• Separates the control plane from the user plane to flexibly deploy network functions. Such separation function enables the central DC instead of the gateway to support complex control and logical functions and moves the user plane to the edge DC to locally process and forward services, thereby implementing local breakout.
• Opens network capabilities and integrates third-party applications. This solution integrates Huawei CloudUIC, CloudMSE, and third-party applications to open network capabilities, providing new business applications and innovative business models for carriers.

MEC is applicable to multiple scenarios and has applied to B2B and B2G markets. Currently, Huawei cooperates with leading global carriers, such as China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, and Vodafone, to make contributions in MEC service innovation and business practices. Service scenarios involved are local breakout scenarios and network capability exposure and application integration scenarios.

• Local breakout is implemented on applications that have high requirements on bandwidth, latency, and security. For example, a high-definition (HD) video can be cached on a node close to the RAN side, saving transmission bandwidths and improving user experience. Network and service functions of the core network are moved to the RAN edge, reducing unnecessary intermediate levels and supporting low-latency real-time sport event broadcasting. For office campuses with high information security requirements, data processing is terminated in the campus DC to ensure information security.
• More diversified business scenarios are implemented by network capability exposure or third-party application integration. For example, when network QoS capability exposure is enabled, the control plane invokes this capability to establish dedicated bearers for subscribers, ensuring QoS. When location data exposure is enabled, a population density map is provided for subscribers in business districts to support indoor navigation. When a third-party video acceleration tool is integrated, subscribers can watch videos smoothly. Contents can be filtered by inserting push information into the toolbar and integrating URL filter.

At MEC Congress held on Munich, Germany in September 2016, Huawei MEC@CloudEdge won the ‘Best Edge Computing Technology’ award. This award shows industry recognition of Huawei’s MEC@CloudEdge in terms of providing leading architecture and technology standards for future-oriented cloud-based networks and for Huawei’s outstanding contribution to the MEC industry.

Ecosystem construction is indispensable to MEC development. Huawei MBB Interconnect Open Base and MBB Interconnect Open Industry Alliance have cooperated with about 100 partners for in-depth communication, cooperative research, R&D, and test. In future, Huawei will further coordinate with carriers and partners to build an ecosystem, achieving a win-win outcome.

New Architecture, New Business - Huawei SOC Building 5G Core Networks That Contribute to Business Success

At the recent 2017 Global Future Network Development Summit held in Nanjing, China, Ruan Tao, Principal NFV Architect of Huawei Packet Core Network Product Line, gave a keynote speech about "New Architecture, New Business, Huawei SOC Building 5G Core Networks That Contribute to Business Success". Ruan elaborated on how Service Oriented Core (SOC), Huawei's 5G Core Network solution, helps operators create brand-new network architectures and business models to open to new market possibilities and make a successful digital transformation.

Ruan said, global operators are now actively looking to make a digital transformation to divert profit sources from volume to digitization and then to information. New techniques, such as SDN, NFV, and MEC, are used to construct a next-generation 5G network, leading to new business models like B2B, B2B2C, and B2V. This brings new opportunities and challenges to carriers and the industry as a whole. 5G networks need a strong Core Network to support the ever-changing services in the future.SOC enabling all access and all services arises as the times require.

SOC Helping Operators Build 5G Core Networks That Enable All Access and All Services

For operators, SOC enables all access and implements all 2G/3G/4G/5G mobile access modes and other access modes, such as xDSL, Wi-Fi, and LPWAN access, through one Core Network, thereby helping operators maximize the ROI and expand the scale of connections.

In addition, SOC uses the Cloud Native architecture to provide network slices meeting diversified and differentiated service requirements through one physical network. For example, smart environment monitoring needs low power consumption with high connection density, AR/VR services require high bandwidths, and self-driving demands extremely low latency. SOC helps explore vertical industry markets and boosts service innovation to gain future-oriented business success.

SOC Taking New 5G Services from Concept to Reality

Huawei has been working with global leading operators to put SOC-based innovation into practice and accelerate the idea-to-reality progress of new services.

At Mobile World Congress 2016, Huawei and China Mobile jointly demonstrated the functions, design, and business logic of network slices, and how operators use SOC-based network slices to address differentiated network requirements by a large number of applications in the future.

At this year's Mobile World Congress, Huawei and Vodafone demonstrated SOC-based smart driving, and Huawei and Deutsche Telekom presented three end-to-end 5G-oriented SOC-based network slices for commercial use: xMBB slice for AR/VR services, GLA slice for IoV and industrial control, and FMC slice for smooth video service experience.

In the future, Huawei will continue to actively invest in innovating 5G Core Network technology, services, and business models into the future. Huawei will also help build a new 5G ecosystem, promote 5G industry development, and make a better connected world with industry partners.

Huawei Wins Two Awards at China Telecommunication Industry IoT Conference 2017

[Beijing, China April 13, 2017] Gaining recognition for its innovation in the IoT field, Huawei won two prestigious awards at the China Telecommunication Industry IoT Conference sponsored by People's Post and Telecommunication Publishing. The awards, "Best Practice and Innovation Award in IoT Platform and Solution" and "Best NB-IoT Industry Contribution Award," highlight Huawei's position as an industry leader in R&D, product service, and service innovation in the IoT field.

Zhang Lufeng (right), Huawei IoT Solution Chief Architect, accepts the awards on behalf of Huawei from Liu Qibin (Left), Editor-in Chief, Communications World Weekly

The rapid development of IoT has opened up broad market space for the ICT industry. Huawei's IoT strategy focuses on vertical industries and constructing upstream and downstream ecosystems, cooperating with partners to provide industry solutions. These solutions pertain to Internet of Awareness, Internet of Everything, and Smart Everything, and enable digital transformation. Vertical markets in particular are embracing IoT to promote digital transformation. According to data reported by global market research organizations such as Gartner, IDC, and Machina, many enterprises have already benefited from IoT construction.

"The research clearly shows that the IoT market has the potential to generate significant profit for industries," said Zhang Lufeng, Huawei IoT Solution Chief Architect.

In 2015, Huawei first proposed the 1+2+1 IoT ICT strategy, in which the IoT platform is the key to ecosystem construction. At HUAWEI CONNECT 2016, Huawei released the OceanConnect IoT platform ecosystem, strengthening its strategic development direction in the IoT ecosystem.

"The growth of any industry is not supported by a single company," remarked Zhang. "Working with partners in the industry chain to build a strong platform ecosystem and promote industry development is our future IoT development direction."

By opening up the 200-plus APIs and serial Agent software that its IoT platform has provided, Huawei continues to build partner ecosystems on both the application and terminal sides of operations. At present, Huawei has partnered with over 100 prominent enterprises, including those in the Connected Car, smart home, public utilities, and smart city industries. In addition, Huawei cooperates with global standards organizations and industry alliances to develop globalization standards and promote the growth of the IoT industry. Huawei's IoT developer ecosystem construction team has secured more than 500 business partnerships through unified online and offline ecosystem platform operation.

Zhang Lufeng gives a speech at the award ceremony

      Compared with other IoT access technologies, Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) features excellent coverage, low device power consumption, and a large network capacity. Huawei continuously invests in and promotes NB-IoT industry development. In 2016, Huawei and GSMA took the lead in establishing the NB-IoT Forum, promoted the NB-IoT industry with global industry partners, and released the world's first commercial NB-IoT network version and chip. In 2017, Huawei plans to continue working with industry-leading operators and partners to expand the application of NB-IoT in various fields, including public utilities, smart city, logistics and warehousing, smart building, smart agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

In the future, Huawei intends to continue increasing investment in IoT and cooperating with industry partners to foster a successful IoT ecosystem, promote industry development, and build a better connected world.

Huawei Convergence Video Solutions: Enabling Convergence and Growth in the Video Market

[Shenzhen, China April 11, 2017]Huawei shares its video strategy and global outlook for growth, as industry analysts converge in Shenzhen, China for the Huawei Analyst Summit 2017.

Video has evolved from a basic value-added service to a key core service for operators globally, as evidenced by $208 billion USD in revenue generated worldwide in 2016. In mature markets, including North America, Western Europe, Korea and Japan, operators are focused on ARPU growth and churn abatement. While in emerging markets, such as Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, subscriber growth is a key business imperative. However, commonly across all segments, all operators are focused on profitability and opportunities to exploit new revenue streams.

Beyond the current entertainment video market segment, Huawei foresees growth opportunities in adjacent vertical video markets, including Communication Video, Industry Video and UGC(User Generated Content). These vertical markets are expected to grow globally to $82 billion USD, $285 billion USD and $105 billion USD respectively, by 2020. Huawei is strategically positioned to enable operators to expand into these vertical video markets.

The Huawei Video PaaS strategy is a key enabler to help operators leverage their initial investments in entertainment video and cost-effectively expand to vertical video markets. The core micro-services leveraged to support entertainment services can also be reused for services across the vertical video market. These core micro-services include multi-tenant support, Just-in-Time-Encoding and Identity Management. The Video PaaS strategy also enables convergence of video services across fixed and mobile networks.

Huawei Convergence Video Solutions are already deployed in over 110 operators globally, serving over 73 million registered video subscribers. In 2016, the Huawei Convergence Video Platform, along with the Set-Top-Boxes (STB) are ranked #1 globally in market share by SNL Kagan for the Middleware, STB and VoD (Video on Demand) segments.