On security in gigabit passive optical networks

The Gigabit Passive Optical Networks (GPONs) are widely deployed in Europe these days. For example in the Czech Republic, telecommunication access networks will deploy GPONs in order to fulfill a minimal transmission speed 30 Mbps which is planned in 2020. Generally, GPONs are defined by the family of recommendations ITU-T G.984. Nevertheless, the recommendations ITU-T G.984 do not define the security in the default configuration. The key exchange mechanism is only optional and keys are sent in plain texts. This article deals with the security issues of GPONs. We analyze security risks and threats in GPONs and propose our robust solution to enhance security and privacy in GPONs.