Telecom and mobile carrier networks are prime targets for state-sponsored threat actors. Compromising network infrastructure enables espionage today—and creates leverage for disruption tomorrow. As 5G, edge computing, and AI accelerate network complexity, security leaders must move beyond availability-first models to infrastructure that is resilient by design. 

This executive briefing, hosted by leaders from Cisco’s Talos Threat Intelligence Group and Security and Trust Organization, will explore the realities of the security landscape post-Glasswing. We’ll discuss state-sponsored threats, secure-by-design architectures, insights from Cisco’s ongoing security research and industry collaborations such as Anthropic Glasswing and OpenAI GPT-5.5 Cyber, and how AI can be leveraged to defend 5G network in the Frontier AI era. 

Service Providers as Trust Anchors: Cisco Talos explores how advanced threat actors are targeting and compromising telecom environments as AI-enabled attacks industrialize vulnerability exploitation and outpace traditional patch management models. From state-sponsored groups like Salt Typhoon to cybercriminal actors, gain insights into today’s evolving threat landscape and practical strategies to reduce attack surface, limit legacy exposure, and accelerate response and resilience.

Building Resilient Infrastructure in the Frontier AI-Era: Learn how secure-by-design principles, hardened architectures, and AI-driven security innovations are helping service providers strengthen resilience against sophisticated state-sponsored threats targeting telecom environments, presented by Cisco’s Security & Trust Organization.

Changing the Economics of Security at Scale: An operator-focused discussion on security economics at scale—lowering cost per protected throughput and reducing footprint and power so security can expand without becoming a growth tax.

Agenda (PST) 

9:00–9:05 | Welcome
Context-setting on state-sponsored threats and security priorities for 5G and AI-era carrier networks.

9:05–9:35 | Service Providers as Trust Anchors: Talos Threat Briefing
 How state-sponsored actors exploit carrier infrastructure today.

9:35–9:50 | Q&A with Talos
 Moderated discussion with Cisco Talos experts.

9:50–10:20 | Building Resilient Infrastructure in the Frontier AI-Era
 Practical hardening strategies grounded in real telco environments.

10:20–10:35 | Changing the Economics of Security at Scale
 How to raise infrastructure security baselines by design and scale security across 5G and AI networks without proportional cost increases.

10:35–10:40 | Closing
 Executive wrap-up and final questions.