[14072] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Code breakers crack GSM cellphone encryption
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (John Doe Number Two)
Sun Sep 7 23:09:56 2003
X-Original-To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
X-Original-To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2003 17:45:51 -0500
From: John Doe Number Two <johndoe2@mail.anonymizer.com>
To: "R. A. Hettinga" <rah@shipwright.com>,
Clippable <rahettinga@earthlink.net>
Cc: <cryptography@metzdowd.com>
In-Reply-To: <p06002034bb81360872bc@[66.149.49.6]>
It's nice to see someone 'discovering' what Lucky Green already figured-out
years ago. I wonder if they'll cut him a check.
-JD, II
Also sprach R. A. Hettinga aka rah@shipwright.com on 07.9.03 14:32 :
> <http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enPage=3DBlankPage&enDisplay=3Dview&enDi=
spWha
> t=3Dobject&enDispWho=3DArticles%5El496&enZone=3DTechnology&enVersion=3D0&>
>=20
>=20
> Israel21c
>=20
> Code breakers crack GSM cellphone encryption
> By ISRAEL21c staff=9A=9A=9ASeptember 07, 2003
>=20
>=20
>=20
> The faults discovered in the 850 million cellphones could be used by
> thieves or eavesdroppers to listen in on calls, steal calls and even to
> impersonate phone owners.
>=20
>=20
> Company develops unbreakable data encryption code
>=20
> =9A
>=20
> Israeli counter-terrorism experts teams up with U.S. cyber-security firm
>=20
> =9A
>=20
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> Technion
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> =9A
> =9A
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> Experts at the Technion in Haifa who specialize in cryptography have
> discovered that mobile phone calls made on the popular GSM network are
> vulnerable to break-ins. The faults discovered in the 850 million
> cellphones could be used by thieves or eavesdroppers to listen in on call=
s,
> steal calls and even to impersonate phone owners.
>=20
> The team of researchers in Haifa, including Professor Eli Biham and
> doctoral students Elad Barkan and Natan Keller, presented their findings =
at
> the Crypto 2003 conference held two weeks ago at the University of
> California, Santa Barbara.
>=20
> The 450 participants, many of whom are leaders in encryption research,
> 'were shocked and astounded' by their revelation that most cellphones are
> susceptible to misuse. 'They were very interested in our work and
> congratulatory,' Biham said.
>=20
> If the cellphone companies in 197 countries want to correct the code erro=
rs
> that expose them to trickery and abuse, they will have to call in each
> customer to make a change in the cellphone's programming, or replace all =
of
> the cellular phones used by their subscribers.
>=20
> Biham, Barkan, and Keller's discovery involved a basic flaw in the
> encryption system of the GSM (global system for mobile communications)
> network, which is used by 71 percent of all cellphones.
>=20
> "Elad discovered a serious flaw in the network's security system,"
> explained Biham. "He found that the GSM network does not work in the prop=
er
> order: First, it inflates the information passing through it in order to
> correct for interference and noise and only then encrypts it."
>=20
> At first,"I told him (Barkan) that it was impossible," Biham told Reuters=
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