Code breakers crack GSM cellphone encryption

[Steve Schear]

At 05:04 PM 9/8/2003 -0400, Trei, Peter wrote:
> > David Honig[SMTP:dahonig at cox.net] wrote:
> >
> > At 02:37 AM 9/9/03 +1000, Greg Rose wrote:
> >
> > >much more than a cellphone (without subsidies). Patenting the attack
> > >prevents the production of the "radio shack (tm) gsm scanner", so that it
> >
> > >at least requires serious attackers, not idle retirees or jealous
> > teenagers.
> >
>Why the heck would a government agency have to break the GSM encryption
>at all? The encryption is only on the airlink, and all GSM calls travel
>through
>the POTS land line system in the clear, where they are subject to
>warranted wiretaps.
>
>Breaking GSM is only of useful if you have no access to the landline
>portion of the system.

LE agencies have been known to eavesdrop on cellular communications over 
the air when a wiretap might cause trouble later.  They are also thought to 
possess cellular spoofing equipment so targeted subscriber instruments can 
be captured by mobile "rouge" cell sites for fun stuff (I seem to recall 
Harris Communications made these).

steve


A foolish Constitutional inconsistency is the hobgoblin of freedom, adored 
by judges and demagogue statesmen.
- Steve Schear 


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