Researcher cracks GSM encryption code
p2pnet news view | Mobiles:- If you thought GSM phones were safe from eavesdropping, think again.
German researcher Karsten Nohl told the Chaos Communication Conference in Berlin he’d compiled 2 terabytes worth of data — “cracking tables that can be used as a kind of reverse phone-book to determine the encryption key used to secure a GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) telephone conversation or text message,” says the IDG News Service, going on:
“While Nohl stopped short of releasing a GSM-cracking device — that would be illegal in many countries, including the U.S. — he said he divulged information that has been common knowledge in academic circles and made it ‘practically useable’.”
Working with other experts, he spent five months cracking the algorithm used to encrypt GSM calls, says the BBC, pointing out GSM “is the most popular standard for mobile networks around the world”.
The story has the GSM Association (GSMA) saying Nohl’s work would be “highly illegal” in the UK and many other countries
“This isn’t something that we take lightly at all,” a spokeswoman said iq quouted as stating.
But Nohl “told the BBC that he had consulted with lawyers before publication and believed the work was ‘legal’,” it says.
IDG News Service, – Hackers Show It’s Easy to Snoop on a GSM Call, December 29, 2009
BBC – Secret mobile phone codes cracked, December 29, 2009
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December 29th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Is this really news?
It is common knowledge that GSM phones are to be considered as unsafe, both with regards to audio and text messages.
Of course GSMA would try to stop anyone making this even more generally known, but the fact remains that in most of the world research is in fact still legal.
December 29th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
“, but the fact remains that in most of the world research is in fact still legal.”
Right that’ll stop it from happening.
So instead of allowing peer review and research into how effective encryption and DRM are, which would push them to be better, we are suppose to stick our fingers in our ears and repeat ‘lalalalala’.
That’ll keep criminals from cracking it.
December 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
opps sorry ment to use the quote from the story
“GSM Association (GSMA) saying Nohl’s work would be “highly illegal” in the UK and many other countries”
Right that’ll stop it from happening.
So instead of allowing peer review and research into how effective encryption and DRM are, which would push them to be better, we are suppose to stick our fingers in our ears and repeat ‘lalalalala’.
That’ll keep criminals from cracking it.
Companies just looking for a ‘cheap’ fix by going the legal route, mainly cause they know ‘effective encryption’ and ‘effective DRM’ are near impossible and the only way to come close is to continously update. Why do you think the new Blueray players ‘require’ an internet connection, so you can dl content (that should have been on the disk)? Nope so they can change the rules to make it appear as if it is working. It also helps in associaing your BR players id number with your IP, between advertisers (Google) and the entertainment industry it’s like having your own stalker(s)
December 29th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
watch his presentation on your ipod
ftp://mirror.fem-net.de/CCC/26C3/mp4-ipod/26c3-3654-en-gsm_srsly_iProd.mp4.torrent