| VOIP not alone in vulnerability; GSM mobile phones are too »news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/2008033···d/143969
The security of the most widely used standard in the world for transmitting mobile phone calls is dangerously flawed, putting privacy and data at risk, two researchers warned at the Black Hat conference in Europe last week.
Researchers David Hulton and Steve Muller showed at Black Hat in the U.S. last month how it was possible to break the encryption on a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) call in about 30 minutes using relatively inexpensive off-the-shelf equipment and software tools. The hack means they could listen in on phone calls from distances of up to 20 miles (32 kilometers) or farther away.
Since 1991 when GSM networks debuted, the integrity of their security has declined as researchers probed. In 1998, the A5/1 and the A5/2, a weaker stream cipher, were broken.
Commercial interception equipment is available(NSA anyone) now to eavesdrop on calls, which can cost up to US$1 million. Hulton and Muller were game for a challenge and wanted to do it more cheaply. For around $700 they bought a Universal Software Radio Peripheral, which can pick up any kind of frequency up to 3GHz.
And now they're planning to commercialize the technique, although Hulton said they will vet buyers. Soon you won't have to be the NSA to eavesdrop on mobile calls using GSM.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
|
2 edits | Yeah, it's bad enough that the NSA can do it, but potientally every Tom, Dick, and Harry within a 20 mile radius, Un-freakin-real! I can only imagine the damage this can cause.
Hopefully the folks at GSM will be able to come up with some new, better encryption algorithms really quick. Otherwise, there's going to be some lawsuits a brewing and rightfully so.
--
True Happiness Must Come From Within |
|
Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| reply to fAcEtIOUs
I worked for years on GSM and CDMA networks , we used to for fun take test phones and bump people off the tower , then lock their frequency and key and listen in. TDMA was the easiest we had programs that actually did it for us 
I still have an engineering moto pebl that I use occasionally to have a little fun with a couple neighbors.
What people don't realize is your broadcasting , albeit pretty securely , but your still broadcasting.
--
"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!" |
|
 ureihcimFreshly made
join:2007-12-16
Miami, FL | *michieru puts his phone in crypto mode and hops 6000 frequencies a second*
Good luck 
SINGARS RT-1523 :P |
|
 PolarBear03The bear formerly known as aaron8301Premium
join:2005-01-03 | reply to fAcEtIOUs
Who the hell talks on the phone that long? I sure don't. So yay, people can now tap in on teenage girls bullshitting about which guy they like this week. I'm impressed. |
|
