NIST SP 800-187

United States

v2016

18 domains

32 controls

Guide to LTE Security

Verified

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Framework Domains (18)

Architecture

1 controls

Controls in the Architecture domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.1	LTE Architecture Overview	Document the LTE network architecture including User Equipment, eNodeB, Evolved Packet Core elements (MME, SGW, PGW, HSS...

Authentication

1 controls

Controls in the Authentication domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.3	Mutual Authentication via EPS-AKA	Enforce mutual authentication between User Equipment and the network using the Evolved Packet System Authentication and...

Availability

1 controls

Controls in the Availability domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.14	Denial of Service Mitigation	Plan for denial of service conditions on signaling and user plane interfaces. Apply rate limiting on attach storms, dime...

Compliance

1 controls

Controls in the Compliance domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.12	Lawful Intercept Controls	Implement lawful intercept capabilities required by jurisdiction while controlling access to the LI mediation function....

Cryptography

2 controls

Controls in the Cryptography domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 2 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.4	Air Interface Confidentiality	Enable encryption of user plane and control plane traffic over the radio link using approved EEA algorithms. Disable nul...
SP800-187-3.5	Air Interface Integrity Protection	Apply EIA integrity algorithms to control plane signaling so that radio resource and non access stratum messages cannot...

Hardening

3 controls

Controls in the Hardening domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 3 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.11	MME and HSS Hardening	Harden Mobility Management Entity and Home Subscriber Server platforms following vendor and CIS guidance. Restrict OAM a...
SP800-187-3.7	eNodeB Physical and Logical Hardening	Apply physical tamper resistance and logical hardening to eNodeB platforms deployed in exposed locations. Disable unused...
SP800-187-3.8	Femtocell and Small Cell Controls	Treat operator deployed small cells and customer premises HeNB devices as untrusted endpoints. Authenticate them to the...

Identity Management

1 controls

Controls in the Identity Management domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.2	User Equipment Identity Protection	Protect International Mobile Subscriber Identity values during attach and paging procedures. Use temporary identifiers (...

NIST SP 800-187: Access Control

5 controls

Logical and physical access controls (NIST SP 800-187)

Controls in the NIST SP 800-187: Access Control domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 5 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-THR-MALWARE-CORE	Threat: Malware Impacting Core Infrastructure	Attacks targeting the evolved packet core elements that can affect mobility management, sessions, and subscriber data.
SP800-187-THR-MALWARE-RAN	Threat: Malware Impacting RAN Infrastructure	Attacks targeting the radio access network infrastructure, including eNodeBs, that can disrupt or compromise service.
SP800-187-THR-MALWARE-UE	Threat: Malware Attacks on UEs	Malware on mobile devices that can compromise the device, exfiltrate data, or launch attacks against the network.
SP800-187-THR-ROGUE-BS	Threat: Rogue Base Stations and Eavesdropping	Adversary-operated base stations and air-interface eavesdropping that can intercept, redirect, or degrade subscriber tra...
SP800-187-THR-SIGNALING	Threat: Signaling and Protocol Attacks	Attacks exploiting signaling protocols (for example Diameter and GTP) to cause denial of service, fraud, or interception...

NIST SP 800-187: Asset Management

5 controls

Information asset management (NIST SP 800-187)

Controls in the NIST SP 800-187: Asset Management domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 5 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-SEC-AIRINTERFACE	Air Interface Security	Protection of the radio link between the UE and E-UTRAN, including encryption and integrity protection of control and us...
SP800-187-SEC-BACKHAUL	Backhaul Security	Protection of the backhaul links connecting E-UTRAN to the core network, typically using IPsec to secure traffic over un...
SP800-187-SEC-CORE	Core Network Security	Security of the Evolved Packet Core, including signaling protection, interconnection security, and protection of subscri...
SP800-187-SEC-EUTRAN	E-UTRAN Security	Security considerations for eNodeB base stations, including their exposure and the protection of keys held at the edge.
SP800-187-SEC-UEAUTH	UE Authentication	Mutual authentication between the user equipment and the network using the EPS Authentication and Key Agreement (EPS-AKA...

NIST SP 800-187: Communications Security

0 controls

Network and communications security (NIST SP 800-187)

NIST SP 800-187: Cryptography

0 controls

Cryptographic controls (NIST SP 800-187)

NIST SP 800-187: Information Security Policies

5 controls

Organizational information security policies (NIST SP 800-187)

Controls in the NIST SP 800-187: Information Security Policies domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 5 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-ARCH-EPC	LTE Component: Evolved Packet Core (EPC)	The core network elements (MME, S-GW, P-GW, HSS) that manage mobility, sessions, and authentication in LTE.
SP800-187-ARCH-EUTRAN	LTE Component: E-UTRAN	The Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, comprising the eNodeB base stations that provide the radio inter...
SP800-187-ARCH-UE	LTE Component: Mobile Devices (UE)	User Equipment, including the mobile device and the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), and its role and security...
SP800-187-SEC-CRYPTO	Cryptographic Overview	The cryptographic algorithms and key hierarchy (EPS-AKA) used in LTE to provide confidentiality and integrity.
SP800-187-SEC-HARDWARE	Hardware Security	Hardware-based security mechanisms including the UICC and tamper resistance that anchor LTE subscriber credentials.

NIST SP 800-187: Operations Security

0 controls

Secure operations and monitoring (NIST SP 800-187)

Network Security

3 controls

Controls in the Network Security domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 3 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.10	SS7 Interworking Risk Mitigation	Even on an LTE network, SS7 interworking with legacy 2G and 3G partners can expose subscribers to tracking and intercept...
SP800-187-3.6	Backhaul Protection with IPsec	Protect the S1 interface between eNodeB and EPC using IPsec in tunnel mode where the backhaul traverses untrusted networ...
SP800-187-3.9	Diameter Signaling Protection	Protect Diameter signaling on S6a, S9, and roaming interfaces against spoofed authentication requests and subscriber pro...

Operations

1 controls

Controls in the Operations domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.17	Monitoring and Incident Response for LTE	Establish continuous monitoring of LTE specific risk indicators including authentication failure rates, integrity check...

Privacy

1 controls

Controls in the Privacy domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.13	Subscriber Privacy Logging	Limit retention of subscriber identifiers and location information in operational logs to what is needed for fraud detec...

Service Security

1 controls

Controls in the Service Security domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.16	Voice over LTE Security	Where VoLTE is offered, protect the IMS core and SIP signaling using TLS or IPsec, and isolate the IMS access network fr...

Third Party

1 controls

Controls in the Third Party domain of NIST SP 800-187 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
SP800-187-3.15	Roaming Security Agreements	Formalize the security expectations imposed on roaming partners covering Diameter and SS7 signaling, IPX interconnection...

Maps to 2 other frameworks

32 total controls

NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

15 source controls mapped|10 target controls covered

47%

3GPP 5G Security Architecture (TS 33.501)

7 source controls mapped|22 target controls covered

22%

Compare NIST SP 800-187 with NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NIST SP 800-187?

NIST SP 800-187 is a compliance framework from United States with 18 domains and 32 controls. Guide to LTE Security It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

How many controls does NIST SP 800-187 have?

NIST SP 800-187 has 32 controls organised across 18 domains. The largest domains are NIST SP 800-187: Access Control (5 controls), NIST SP 800-187: Asset Management (5 controls), NIST SP 800-187: Information Security Policies (5 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.

What frameworks does NIST SP 800-187 map to?

NIST SP 800-187 maps to 2 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 (47% coverage), 3GPP 5G Security Architecture (TS 33.501) (22% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.

How do I get started with NIST SP 800-187 compliance?

Start your NIST SP 800-187 compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about NIST SP 800-187 requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 32 controls and track your progress.

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