The European Union is taking early steps to secure 6G mobile networks with a new initiative called 'Shield-6G,' designed to protect infrastructure against emerging cyber threats before the technology is fully deployed.
While 6G remains years from widespread commercial use, the EU is focusing on proactive security measures. Shield-6G will integrate multiple technologies, including artificial intelligence for threat detection, digital twins to simulate network behavior, and honeypots to lure and study attackers.
The program aims to help carriers build security into 6G from the ground up, rather than retrofitting it after deployment. This approach mirrors lessons learned from earlier network generations, where security was often an afterthought.
Details on deployment timelines, specific carrier partnerships, or funding amounts were not disclosed in the announcement. The initiative currently exists at the research and development stage.
No estimates on the number of systems or carriers involved were provided, and no separate source confirmed the project's scope or budget.