GSM cracked

[scooterscot]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8429233.stm

https://har2009.org/program/attachme...cking.Nohl.pdf

He makes some good points about the not so wise use of GSM as a secure medium, which it is often considered. I remember listening to analogue users back in the early 90's on the scanner.. people would give all sort of details without a 2nd thought.

[threaded]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8429233.stm

https://har2009.org/program/attachme...cking.Nohl.pdf

He makes some good points about the not so wise use of GSM as a secure medium, which it is often considered. I remember listening to analogue users back in the early 90's on the scanner.. people would give all sort of details without a 2nd thought.

I built hardware to crack it on the fly years ago. This is an opensource technique using commodity PCs. So opensores PC tech has caught up to hardware tech of a good few years ago. This is not surprising, it's called Moores Law.

It is built into many key systems that you have to set key length depending on the number of years you wish to keep whatever secure.

GSM hasn't done this and is now becoming commonly vulnerable. Give it another year and you'll be able to do it on your videocards. A couple more and it'll be the CPU on it's own.

I do though like the distributed nature: there's something to be said about the plausible deniability inherent in such a system.

[shaunbhoy]

I seem to remember hearing that GSM had opted to use a less secure algorithm than the best available at the time. Something to do with it being easy enough for the powers that be to infiltrate but beyond the ken of everyone else. Poor forward planning...........again.

[threaded]

I seem to remember hearing that GSM had opted to use a less secure algorithm than the best available at the time. Something to do with it being easy enough for the powers that be to infiltrate but beyond the ken of everyone else. Poor forward planning...........again.

The algorithms are weak, but for extra giggles have deliberate back doors. Many cells have no encryption anyway either because the technicians made a mistake and/or were told not to switch it on during set-up or the service provider bought the cheapest option for the base-station and it doesn't have the capability anyway...

[Platypus]

people would give all sort of details without a 2nd thought.

You don't need to listen to people's phone calls for that these days, just look at their Facebook page!

[shaunbhoy]

You don't need to listen to people's phone calls for that these days, just look at their Facebook page!

You are not wrong there. That is a strange phenomenon. My kids coaxed me into joining a few weeks ago. Since then I have received offers of friendship from complete strangers (surreal enough in itself for me!), with no more connection to me than some very tenuous 'friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend' link.
Lot of desperate people out there........and in here come to think of it!

[SueEllen]

You are not wrong there. That is a strange phenomenon. My kids coaxed me into joining a few weeks ago. Since then I have received offers of friendship from complete strangers (surreal enough in itself for me!), with no more connection to me than some very tenuous 'friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend' link.
Lot of desperate people out there........and in here come to think of it!

It's called networking.

Though why your 13 year old nephew and a mate's 70 year old parent want to see what you get up to is beyond me.

Just remember to remove your full birth date and not advertise when you go on holiday leaving the house empty.

[NotAllThere]

...He makes some good points about the not so wise use of GSM as a secure medium, which it is often considered. I remember listening to analogue users back in the early 90's on the scanner.. people would give all sort of details without a 2nd thought.

I didn't know GSM was "secure", so I've always assumed I'm being overheard.

[scooterscot]

I didn't know GSM was "secure", so I've always assumed I'm being overheard.

Compared to landline telephone calls using the GSM network is like taking fortknox to an ATM machine, it's fairly secure using multiple encrypted RF channels (80 of them I think) for a any mobile to mobile call.