In our first blog, we explored why 6G networks will require a new kind of security and introduced the mission of MARE. Now, let’s talk about how MARE is turning that mission into concrete designs and approaches that will prepare 6G networks for the future.
Strong foundations for future security
How it works
The MARE security plane is organised into three key layers:
- Cybersecurity Core: This is the engine room of the security plane, where building blocks are assembled into full security functions and orchestrated intelligently to respond to active threats,
- Abstraction Layer: Acting as the “eyes and ears” of the security plane, this layer monitors the network, maps out possible attack paths and feeds valuable data into the core,
- Interface Layer: This ensures transparency and usability, giving operators, service providers and even developers the tools to interact with the system in an accessible way.
Together, these layers create a living defense system that is:
Aware
Adaptable
Ready to Respond!
Securing future threats
MARE’s design is based around anticipating a wide range of future 6G threats. These can include poisoning of AI models – which could be used to guide network operations, insider threats from compromised devices, denial-of-service attacks on the network edge, or manipulations of Digital Twins that mirror physical systems.
By studying these scenarios and mapping each attack may play out, MARE can ensures that its security functions and security defences are practical and targeted. The goal is not solely to stop today’s attacks, but to also prepare for the attacks that have yet to appear.
From reacting to attacks to predicting them!
One of the most exciting aspects of MARE’s approach is how it aims to shifts from reacting to attacks towards predicting and preventing them.
Two main workflows illustrate this shift:
- Threat detection workflow – During this workflow, the system will identify suspicious activity, analyse it, and automatically deploy the appropriate security functions to defend against an attack,
- Threat prediction workflow – During this workflow, digital twins are used to test how future attacks could happen, and better learn and understand which defenses would be most effective against them – before they ever occur!
This combination of detection and prediction means that MARE’s security is not only adaptive, but it is also proactive.
Why this matters
For everyday users, this work might sound theoretical and abstract, but its impacts are very real. In the near future, technological advancements will lead to applications – such as the below, which will require this level of strong security guarantees. :
- Health data must be protected during remote treatments and surgeries,
- Connected vehicles must always remain functional and safe – even during a cyber attack,
- Critical infrastructure services – such as banking and energy networks, should continue to operate even if attacked.
For businesses and industries, this requires 6G networks to be resilient against network attacks, supporting growth, without exposing them to new vulnerabilities.
For Europe as a whole, this requires leadership in shaping trustworthy, future-ready security for the digital backbone of society – something that MARE is stepping up to solve.
Looking ahead
As 6G continues to evolve, so too will MARE’s architecture and methods. What remains constant is its mission:
To ensure that the networks of tomorrow are not only faster and smarter, but also secure, resilient and trustworthy by design.
