Alarms are sounding: Why telecoms need a proactive AI defense

Telecommunications are the lifeblood of the modern world, connecting billions of people and devices. This makes them a prime target for sophisticated cyberattacks. Forget phishing emails; today's attackers using artificial intelligence to automate multi-layered attacks, manipulate real-time communications, and develop malicious code capable of bypassing conventional IT defense systems.

Cybercriminals aren't amateurs anymore. Today's attacks are sophisticated, employing:

• AI-powered DDoS: Overwhelming networks with artificial intelligence-driven traffic surges, crippling infrastructure.
• Multi-Vector Tactics: Launching attacks from multiple directions simultaneously, creating confusion and widening vulnerabilities.
• Deep Deception: Employing AI-generated content (fake emails, audio, videos) to deceive and manipulate individuals, gaining unauthorized access.

Silent Intrusions: Hiding in plain sight for months, silently compromising networks and extracting valuable data.

An Asian telecommunications company was allegedly breached by Chinese government hackers who spent four years inside its systems. The hackers used an array of smart, innovative tools, allowing them to stay hidden in the company’s network and move laterally to gain access to different systems. These attacks aren't just technical challenges; they pose a clear and present danger.

Cybercrime will cost the world 1 trillion USD per month by 2031

According to cybersecurity ventures cyber report 2025, global cyber crime course to grow by 15% over the next 2 years reaching $10.5 trillion USD annually by 2025 and $ 12 trillion USD in 2031 up from 3 trillion from 2015.

“Across the country we’re seeing increasingly sophisticated cybercrime being conducted by people who are younger and younger and younger,” said William McKeen, a supervisory special agent with the FBI’s Cyber Division, at a security conference RSA in San Francisco. “It is terrifying.” He said the average age of anyone arrested for a crime in the U.S. is 37, while the average age of someone arrested for cybercrime is 19.

Cybersecurity has a lot of headroom to grow with GenAI

According to Gartner, the adoption of GenAI will bridge the skills gap by 2028 and minimize the occurrence of employee-driven security incidents. This has the potential to transform how organizations hire and train cybersecurity professionals. Gartner predicts that by 2026, enterprises that combine GenAI with an integrated platforms-based architecture in security behavior and culture programs (SBCP) will experience 40 percent fewer employee-driven security incidents.

The future is autonomous: shifting to proactive ai-driven security

Modern Security Operations Center (SOC) need transitioning from a reactive command center to a proactive intelligence hub. Increasingly, the goal is to pave the way toward a fully autonomous network, where the bulk of security operations are executed by intelligent automation—leaving security analysts to act as strategic observers rather than constant doers.

The GenAI effect to upgrade to Proactive Threat Discovery

Generative AI (GenAI) is redefining the scope of what’s possible in proactive threat detection. Once a tool used primarily by attackers, GenAI is now a cornerstone of next-generation defense. In the hands of SOC teams, it delivers capabilities across three important dimensions:

1. Knowledge Articulation: Leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) for natural language processing allows security teams to ask questions and get instant answers for better understanding Indicators of Compromise (IoC), status of the security posture, severity of threats, and threat signatures. This capability enhances situational awareness and accelerates decision-making processes.

2. Content Creation:  Generative AI significantly reduces the specialized knowledge barrier for telecom security. It can automatically generate custom detection rules for telecom-specific threats, create mitigation playbooks for vulnerabilities in network elements, and develop security policies aligned with telecommunications regulatory requirements.

3. Threat Prediction: Generative AI systems can continuously monitor threat intelligence information and compare with network telemetry across radio access networks, core networks, and transport systems to identify potential attack patterns before service disruption occurs. With automated threat hunting capabilities, it can autonomously suggest or implement mitigations for vulnerabilities specific to telecommunications protocols and infrastructure.

Bridging gap between SOC analyst and data scientist

Collaboration between Security Operations Center (SOC) analysts and data scientists is vital. Proactive threat discovery, fuelled by GenAI, provide valuable insights that continuously improve security posture. This collaborative environment fosters a powerful feedback loop, enabling telco SOC teams to stay ahead of emerging threats.

Proactive Threat discovery involves scanning of network vulnerabilities, analyzing vast amounts of internal telemetry data, and drawing insights from the latest threat intelligence reports. By generating accurate threat hypothesis for verification, an AI-driven threat hunting helps to reduce workload for data scientists and to focus on reported threat validation. Once approved, a security-trained LLM can automatically create custom use cases, including detection rules and playbooks, to guide SOC analysts through appropriate mitigation and recovery steps. These automated processes accelerate incident response times, minimizing potential damage caused by attacks and bridging the gap between security teams such as the security analyst who is handling incidents and the data scientist who is hunting for threats.

Now, with these capabilities, Generative AI not only strengthens early threat detection and response but also accelerates the transition toward autonomous security operations, where systems pre-emptively resolve incidents, keeping networks secure while security teams maintain situational control.

Choosing the right platform

Selecting a GenAI powered threat incident management solution isn't just about features; it's about choosing a partner committed to your unique needs. For telecommunications operators, developing and integrating a proactive security strategy requires specialized platforms designed for their unique telco-network architectures, protocols, and operational requirements. Standard IT enterprise security solutions often lack the specific capabilities needed to protect mission-critical telecommunications infrastructure from targeted attacks.

The ideal solution must be purpose-built for telecom, incorporating GenAI capabilities and out-of-the-box threat detection scenarios relevant to the domain. Operators should evaluate solutions based on:

When selecting a GenAI-powered proactive security automation solution for telecommunications, several critical factors should guide your decision. Evaluating platforms against these above-described essential criteria ensures your security operations team can implement effective automation rapidly and with confidence.

Do thorough research in industry analyst forums and attend specialized telco security events. Feel free to ask vendors for telecommunications-specific references and detailed customer case examples showing successful setups in telco-network environments like yours.

The time to act is now

As cyber threats become faster, smarter, and more targeted, the telecom industry must adapt by transforming its defense posture. Proactive, automated, and intelligence-driven operations are no longer optional—they are imperative.

And on the horizon lies a bold shift: the fully autonomous network, where AI and automation manage threats in real-time, and human analysts rise to a supervisory role—strategic observers guiding systems that defend themselves. This is not only the future of telecom security—it is its necessary evolution.

Don't wait for the next attack – embrace proactive AI security before it's too late.

Introducing NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome: Telecom's Choice for Automated Protection

Nokia’s NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome embodies this proactive vision. Designed specifically for telco environments, it applies GenAI to automate threat detection, correlate data across telco systems, and generate actionable insights with minimal human input. 

Recognized by Frost & Sullivan radar 2025, as an XDR innovation leader, NetGuard delivers comprehensive protection for mission-critical OT and subscriber data, offering a model framework for telco cybersecurity moving forward.

I recently shared a customer case study on LinkedIn that highlights how NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome transforms threat intelligence into actionable security measures.

These practical use cases enabled a telecom provider to maintain continuous business operations and safeguard their critical infrastructure.

In addition some valuable content for events are:

A customer video interview with Claro and Nokia who are together securing the future of 5G and what it means for businesses and consumers alike. Industries like transportation, mining, and energy depend on secure, reliable networks. 

Join the webinar on May 6th, 4pm CET – as experts will unpack how GenAI, XDR, and 5G security come together to defend the networks of today and tomorrow.