Security handling for network slices in cellular networks

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
• determine, by the apparatus, whether to handover a user equipment to a target base station, the determination based on whether a security level of the target base station satisfies a security threshold;
• enable, when the security level satisfies the security threshold, a relocation of a packet data convergence protocol entity to enable ciphering of a tunnel to the user equipment;
• and
• inhibit, when the security level does not satisfy the security threshold, the relocation of the packet data convergence protocol entity to inhibit ciphering of a tunnel to the user equipment.

A method comprising:

• determining, at a source base station, whether to handover a user equipment to a target base station, the determining based on whether a security level of the target base station satisfies a security threshold;
• enabling, when the security level satisfies the security threshold, a relocation of a packet data convergence protocol entity to enable ciphering of a tunnel to the user equipment;
• and
• inhibiting, when the security level does not satisfy the security threshold, the relocation of the packet data convergence protocol entity to inhibit ciphering of a tunnel to the user equipment.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code which, when executed by at least one processor, causes operations comprising:

• determining, at a source base station, whether to handover a user equipment to a target base station, the determining based on whether a security level of the target base station satisfies a security threshold;
• enabling, when the security level satisfies the security threshold, a relocation of a packet data convergence protocol entity to enable ciphering of a tunnel to the user equipment;
• and
• inhibiting, when the security level does not satisfy the security threshold, the relocation of the packet data convergence protocol entity to inhibit ciphering of a tunnel to the user equipment.