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There was a time you could just walk around with a radio receiver and spy on everyone's phonecalls (IMEI stingray). Iirc it's not possible/that easy anymore wit

by epilys 3y ago

There was a time you could just walk around with a radio receiver and spy on everyone's phonecalls (IMEI stingray). Iirc it's not possible/that easy anymore with LTE.

livueta 3y ago
AFAIK you can still do passive IMSI sniffing, which isn't full content but is quite interesting metadata.
- Scoundreller 3y ago
  Yeah, I’m going to need a write up/video on this… (Not saying you’re lying, I just want to learn more!)
  - livueta 3y ago
    I'll do you one better: For GSM, basic IMSI sniffing: https://github.com/Oros42/IMSI-catcher https://github.com/Oros42/IMSI-catcher (usable with cheap SDRs) For LTE, basic IMSI sniffing: https://github.com/JiaoXianjun/LTE-Cell-Scanner https://github.com/JiaoXianjun/LTE-Cell-Scanner (usable with cheap SDRs) For LTE, full-on sniffing of all unencrypted metadata: https://github.com/SysSec-KAIST/LTESniffer https://github.com/SysSec-KAIST/LTESniffer (generally requires fancy SDRs with GPSDO) Can vouch that the first and second repos definitely worked as of about a year ago, but haven't personally tried since then. I don't have a USRP X310 (yet!) so can't personally speak to the fancy one.
    - landemva 3y ago
      Yes, $9353 is beyond my hobby budget. https://www.ettus.com/all-products/X310-KIT https://www.ettus.com/all-products/X310-KIT
sidewndr46 3y ago
stingrays just force the device down to 2G and capture that
- Scoundreller 3y ago
  Do/could SIM cards prevent this downgrade if 2G isn’t provided by your local provider anymore? I know my Canadian SIM card somehow hides US providers from network scans, possibly with some geo or if/then rules (but visible from my EU SIM that tries its darnedest to latch onto the US networks and avoid the Canadian ones at all costs)
  - notjulianjaynes 3y ago
    Android has a toggle in the settings to disallow 2G (except for 911 calls).
    - sidewndr46 3y ago
      many phones disable this
    - smokelegend 3y ago
      And yet the outdated, unsecured 2G protocol/hardware still exists in 2023, is it really a question as to why it's still in operation. The way I see it, seems law enforcement agencies using stingrays have a vested interesting in seeing 2G alive and well.

by epilys 3y ago

There was a time you could just walk around with a radio receiver and spy on everyone's phonecalls (IMEI stingray). Iirc it's not possible/that easy anymore with LTE.

livueta 3y ago

AFAIK you can still do passive IMSI sniffing, which isn't full content but is quite interesting metadata.

Scoundreller 3y ago
Yeah, I’m going to need a write up/video on this… (Not saying you’re lying, I just want to learn more!)
- livueta 3y ago
  I'll do you one better: For GSM, basic IMSI sniffing: https://github.com/Oros42/IMSI-catcher https://github.com/Oros42/IMSI-catcher (usable with cheap SDRs) For LTE, basic IMSI sniffing: https://github.com/JiaoXianjun/LTE-Cell-Scanner https://github.com/JiaoXianjun/LTE-Cell-Scanner (usable with cheap SDRs) For LTE, full-on sniffing of all unencrypted metadata: https://github.com/SysSec-KAIST/LTESniffer https://github.com/SysSec-KAIST/LTESniffer (generally requires fancy SDRs with GPSDO) Can vouch that the first and second repos definitely worked as of about a year ago, but haven't personally tried since then. I don't have a USRP X310 (yet!) so can't personally speak to the fancy one.
  - landemva 3y ago
    Yes, $9353 is beyond my hobby budget. https://www.ettus.com/all-products/X310-KIT https://www.ettus.com/all-products/X310-KIT

sidewndr46 3y ago

stingrays just force the device down to 2G and capture that

Scoundreller 3y ago
Do/could SIM cards prevent this downgrade if 2G isn’t provided by your local provider anymore? I know my Canadian SIM card somehow hides US providers from network scans, possibly with some geo or if/then rules (but visible from my EU SIM that tries its darnedest to latch onto the US networks and avoid the Canadian ones at all costs)
- notjulianjaynes 3y ago
  Android has a toggle in the settings to disallow 2G (except for 911 calls).
  - sidewndr46 3y ago
    many phones disable this
  - smokelegend 3y ago
    And yet the outdated, unsecured 2G protocol/hardware still exists in 2023, is it really a question as to why it's still in operation. The way I see it, seems law enforcement agencies using stingrays have a vested interesting in seeing 2G alive and well.