4 ms·

Government planes mimic cellphone towers to collect user data

54 points by erkose 12y ago

that_guy 12y ago
How is this faggotry even news? Bro, do you even hack? http://www.nsaplayset.org/ http://www.nsaplayset.org/ #bulk2win
dsl 12y ago
This same platform (SHENANIGANS) developed by the NSA that is deployed by the CIA aboard drones to locate individuals for targeted strikes. I generally support the mission of the US intelligence community, but it seems my greatest fear is coming true: domestic law enforcement wants to play with the cool toys too. As a result the line between foreign intelligence and domestic law enforcement becomes even more blurred.
- atmosx 12y ago
  > I generally support the mission of the US intelligence community, but it seems my greatest fear is coming true: domestic law enforcement wants to play with the cool toys too. OMG who would EVER thought that something like this would happen?????? I'm so shocked!!!! Maybe they need to just keep with the times... Yes that's it, no need to worry.
- javert 12y ago
  > I generally support the mission of the US intelligence community We no longer have the freedoms the US intelligence community is supposed to be defending. They have already failed us. edit: Sure, we have some freedoms, but they are vestigial. In principle, we do not. This is obvious with respect to not being subject to warrantless search and seizure: we officially live in an Orwellian surveillance society. But our freedoms are (less obviously) withering in all other areas as well.
- pXMzR2A 12y ago
  > my greatest fear is coming true: domestic law enforcement wants to play with the cool toys too. Actually, the usual pattern is: surveillance and security systems are first tested abroad, then are imported into the homeland. So this is not really "domestic law enforcement wants to play" but the conclusion of a progression that is part of a regular historical pattern.
bthornbury 12y ago
If government planes are able to mimic industry cell phone towers, I can only assume hackers can do it too. I'll be paranoid every time my 4G slows down for no reason now.
- bjornsing 12y ago
  UMTS/LTE (GSMA 3G/4G) has strong mutual authentication, so is generally harder to attack without collaboration from the mobile operator. What should really worry you is when your phone switches over to Edge (GSMA 2G) for no good reason. There's no mutual authentication there(!) so it's trivial for an attacker to impersonate your mobile operator...
- codezero 12y ago
  Or speeds up :)
seymores 12y ago
Have we all given up?
acd 12y ago
Pretty sure they tap into Apple location, Google location and cell phones that registers to fake cells.
dang 12y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8604626 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8604626

54 points by erkose 12y ago

How is this faggotry even news? Bro, do you even hack? http://www.nsaplayset.org/ http://www.nsaplayset.org/ #bulk2win

dsl 12y ago

This same platform (SHENANIGANS) developed by the NSA that is deployed by the CIA aboard drones to locate individuals for targeted strikes. I generally support the mission of the US intelligence community, but it seems my greatest fear is coming true: domestic law enforcement wants to play with the cool toys too. As a result the line between foreign intelligence and domestic law enforcement becomes even more blurred.

atmosx 12y ago
> I generally support the mission of the US intelligence community, but it seems my greatest fear is coming true: domestic law enforcement wants to play with the cool toys too. OMG who would EVER thought that something like this would happen?????? I'm so shocked!!!! Maybe they need to just keep with the times... Yes that's it, no need to worry.
javert 12y ago
> I generally support the mission of the US intelligence community We no longer have the freedoms the US intelligence community is supposed to be defending. They have already failed us. edit: Sure, we have some freedoms, but they are vestigial. In principle, we do not. This is obvious with respect to not being subject to warrantless search and seizure: we officially live in an Orwellian surveillance society. But our freedoms are (less obviously) withering in all other areas as well.
pXMzR2A 12y ago
> my greatest fear is coming true: domestic law enforcement wants to play with the cool toys too. Actually, the usual pattern is: surveillance and security systems are first tested abroad, then are imported into the homeland. So this is not really "domestic law enforcement wants to play" but the conclusion of a progression that is part of a regular historical pattern.

bthornbury 12y ago

If government planes are able to mimic industry cell phone towers, I can only assume hackers can do it too. I'll be paranoid every time my 4G slows down for no reason now.

bjornsing 12y ago
UMTS/LTE (GSMA 3G/4G) has strong mutual authentication, so is generally harder to attack without collaboration from the mobile operator. What should really worry you is when your phone switches over to Edge (GSMA 2G) for no good reason. There's no mutual authentication there(!) so it's trivial for an attacker to impersonate your mobile operator...
codezero 12y ago
Or speeds up :)

seymores 12y ago

Have we all given up?

acd 12y ago

Pretty sure they tap into Apple location, Google location and cell phones that registers to fake cells.

dang 12y ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8604626 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8604626