Low Cost Mobile Phone Eavesdropping Device a Reality?
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Researchers in the US claim to be able to develop a device that is able to eavesdrop on mobile phone conversations by hacking into GSM networks, for a cost of mere $1,000. Previous attempts to develop such a device have cost upwards of $100,000.
The 64-bit A5/1 Network Encryption used on GSM networks has been cracked for almost a decade now, but after the developments that occurred at this year’s 2008 Black Hat Conference in Washington D.C., the technology is that much closer to being developed.
The theoretical $1,000 eavesdropping device will take up to 30 minutes to successfully crack the GSM encryption while the $100,000 version can accomplish the same task in 30 seconds. The limitation is based on the computation of nearly 300 quadrillion possible keys that have already been compiled but would then need to be sifted through by the eavesdropping device that then utilizes the compiled data to decrypt GSM communications on the fly.
However, there is no need to worry for now. Any criminals or people with dangerous intentions trying to evesdrop on your conversations just yet, is out of the question. This is still in concept stage. And even if they do manage to develop an evesdropping device for under $1,000, it does not mean the mobile phone industry will not work just as hard in coming up with better defence in terms of strengthening their encryption to counter any such devices or else they will lose confidence among consumers the moment there is a reported case of hacking, not to mention the huge uproar it will cause.
The question here is, why has mobile phone industy only waking up to the threat now after almost ten years of this code being vulnerable? GSM SIM cards transmit their information in cleartext, leaving each mobile phone open to identification, tracking through tower triangulation. Could it have been that the cost of the original eavesdropping device was high enough for this to be a non-issue? Whatever the case may be, the GSM Association claims to have a superior encryption method ready for implementation well before the $1,000 eavesdropping device comes to fruition.
