GSM surveilence

[D69]

heh , today I was searching for several informations on BB phones and look what I have found

http://www.wi-ltd.com/defence/Covert_Surveillance/Intelligence_Gathering/GSM_Interception/GSM_PassiveActive_Hybrid_Interception_System

So it says that surveilence can be done without 'network awarness'.
I know that GSM coding (A5/1 and A5/2) has been cracked and beaten before but I didn't realize that there are already 'jackal' companies that offer integrated spying equipment.
This is truly scary.

 

[Laura]

What is "GSM"?

 

[obyvatel]

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications or originally Groupe' Special Mobile)) is a cell phone communication technology developed in Europe. Cell phones which use this technology are referred to as GSM phones. Most cell phones worldwide (wiki estimate ~80-85% in 2007) are GSM phones.

 

[ocean59]

This is truly scary.

Wow, that is quite a list of capabilities given on that web site. Basically it sounds like any private company (and therefore private citizen) can now go play 'secret agent' as well as 'interference' anytime they want. Not good.

 

[Sirius]

Yes, some people (I guess a few per country perhaps) do this as a hobby. I speak of relatively ordinary people, of course. I'm remembering once reading a report about GSM hackers. The same is possible with DECT cordless phones, by the way. They are considered unsafe, too. Distance and traffic aren't comparable though.