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The problem with SS7 is that trust is assumed. Mobile carriers that have roaming agreements will have either a direct link or via a hub. So what happened here w
by ismail 9y ago
The problem with SS7 is that trust is assumed. Mobile carriers that have roaming agreements will have either a direct link or via a hub. So what happened here was the network of the foreign roaming partner was used to redirect the SMS traffic on the victims carriers. Would not be surprised if it was an inside job.
With ss7 you can do fun things like query the last location update/logged in base station for a mobile phone, due to roaming carrier x can query for customers on carrier y in another country. If you link up to one of the roaming hubs you can pretty much get the location of anyone with a mobile phone. Feature phones included.
- baybal2 9y agoExactly, The roaming hole was known to Russian blackhat scene, and was actively exploited for ages. I say, first number hijacking services were offered around 2001 to 2005, when Russia had a paid SMS content craze. Back then, the most apparent use of that was to steal somebody's number and then send paid sms to your number. The fact that big IMEI databases gathered with Android scamware are now being sold around "social marketing" community only makes things worse. The best known attack with that was an attempted hacking of British MPs personal emails a few years ago. Russian phone operator Megafon was complicit, yet they never even got a slap on the wrist. All and every eMail or blog site that has password reset through SMS (Including whats up, and gmail) is open to that attack.
- lawl 9y ago@baybal2 you are shadowbanned. Only people with "showdead" on csn see your comments. You should probably make a new account.
- baybal2 9y agoI am fully aware of that. My hope is to have HN people remove my ban.