Cellusys launches Zariot – a global SIM with signalling security

Cellusys has launched a new initiative called Zariot, which it says is the world’s first global SIM with signalling security. While other providers offer security over IP protocols, Zariot argues it is the first to provide security over the inherently vulnerable SS7, Diameter and GTP signalling protocols – claiming it offers protection “from signalling to cloud”.
“SIM cards are being recklessly thrown into every device imaginable, with no thought as to how we control, provision, upgrade and secure their future,” explains Dawood Ghalaieny, CEO of Zariot. “The disregard for important features such as security is perceived as addressed. It’s not.”
Ghalaieny says that while encryption and other methods improve security, they only go as far as the IP layer – ignoring vulnerabilities in the signalling layer. Devices such as smart cars, wearables, medical devices and remote sensors which use SIM cards, or have embedded SIMs, rely on signalling protocols to transfer data and are left vulnerable to denial of service (DDoS), interception, location tracking, and other attacks over mobile network infrastructure.
This problem he says is exacerbated by the fact that IoT increasingly demands greater connectivity, exposing devices to more and more networks – with varying guarantees of security.
This is where Zariot comes in, providing global coverage and a critical layer of security that can block attacks by preventing access to information contained in the network.
Zariot was founded by Cellusys, which has over 15 years’ experience helping mobile operators secure their networks and subscribers from attacks over signalling protocols. The company was an early provider of signalling firewalls, with its Unified Signalling Firewall for SS7, Diameter, GTP and SIP. Cellusys also offers other solutions within the IoT ecosystem for roaming, fraud and analytics.
“Success in deploying IoT is having a partner that understands the IoT ecosystem and its inherently complex security and control. Connectivity requires a partnership of five, ten, or even fifteen years over the device lifecycle,” says Ghalaieny. An issue Zariot  aims to address.