Artificial intelligence and machine learning systems may help 5G cloud providers detect the presence of sophisticated attackers and other security incidents, according to new guidance from the National Security Agency. In a report published on Thursday, the intelligence agency said that while technology providers would have to balance data confidentiality requirements with the ability to inspect network traffic, sophisticated real-time continuous monitoring may be crucial in detecting the malicious use of cloud resources. "Stakeholders at all layers of the 5G cloud stack should leverage an analytic platform to develop and deploy analytics that process relevant data (cloud logs and other telemetry) available at that layer. The analytics should be capable of detecting known and anticipated threat, but also be designed to identify anomalies in the data that could indicate unanticipated threat," the agency said in the document. The NSA detailed the potential use of AI monitoring systems in the first part of a new four-part report series it is publishing to provide guidance for 5G network stakeholders, including service providers and systems integrators.