Smartphone security.

**Neo** · 25-08-2011, 04:57 AM

It's obviously an issue to those in the know, but for the millions of new smartphone owners that aren't tech savvy it is allowing hackers to apply the skills they've honed hacking laptops to the much more accessible smartphone handsets.

Not only can hard data such as call logs, contacts, emails and network passwords be obtained, but conversations can be monitored and recorded, user location can be obtained, and the handset can be used as a microphone and camera while it appears to be in standby.

The potential for hackers is far greater than anything that has been possible before. Here is a Channel 4 article that looks at the issue.

Is your smartphone under threat from hackers?

Wednesday 24 August 2011

As smartphones become the new target for hackers, Channel 4 News Technology Correspondent Benjamin Cohen investigates the new techniques being used to spy on phone calls and access personal data.

The phone-hacking scandal caused outrage across the country but the private investigators working for News International used primitive methods.

Imagine if someone couldn't just hack into your voicemail messages but listen to everything you say, or even take a photograph using your phone without you knowing. That iss the threat looming over millions of people.

The surge in attacks is being driven by a growing number of smartphone users, particularly mobiles which are powered by the Google Android system.

By clicking on an email link which contains malicious code, hackers are able to access emails and bug phone calls, even while your phone is on standby.

Nils, who does not want his surname revealed in case he becomes a target for hackers, developed this attack to test the vunerabilities of smart phones.

"These malicious codes introduce a back door entry. That gives me access to all your information, including phone calls, emails and photos.

"I recorded all the conversations you had.
"For you the phone looks like it's on standby, but my backdoor is still open," Nils said.

Nils told Channel 4 News that the hack he conducted works on the older versions of Android phones, of which there are around 30,000,000 in use. Newer versions are immune from this specific virus. Google told us that it responds rapidly to security threats.

Security firm Kaspersky say the number of threats to smartphones has doubled in the past two years. It identified 2,564 identified threats in 2011, compared to 906 different viruses in 2009.

Fake apps used to attack
Anti-virus company McAfee has reported a 76 per cent surge in malware aimed directly at Google's Android systems.

In its second quarterly report for 2011, McAfee warns that fake Angry Birds updates and novelty apps are being used to comb through smartphones for personal details.

It comes as a new survey by the Association of Independent Research Centres shows that two thirds of people have a smartphone with no password protection.

Users 'not concerned'
More than 90 per cent of people store personal data, such as photos, emails or contact details, on their smartphones. One third also save login information, such as PIN codes or passwords, for various services on their mobile devices.

Around one third of smartphone owners use their phones for online banking.
But the majority of people say they are not concerned about phone security, with 58 per cent of people saying they feel "safe" from the threat of hacking.

Is your smartphone under threat from hackers? - Channel 4 News

**Jesus Jones** · 25-08-2011, 07:42 AM

No, surely not. The thought of it was pure conspiracy two years ago!

**Rigger** · 25-08-2011, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by Neo

Google's Android systems

Yep thats what you get for buying cheap shit. Us I phone uses dont have to much trouble.

**harrybarracuda** · 25-08-2011, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Rigger

Originally Posted by Neo

Google's Android systems

Yep thats what you get for buying cheap shit. Us I phone uses dont have to much trouble.

Of course you don't. Steve the Ninja makes sure you can't do anything remotely risky.

Well at least he did until he quit yesterday.

sabaii sabaii · 25-08-2011, 01:18 PM

^ You can jailbreak them and do loads.

I can get 99 % of the apps that are in Apples app store and the ones they turned away

Word of warning, it fucks up your GPS though and the battery life aint too hot anymore

Blackberries are easily the securest, no ones hacked one of them yet

**pickel** · 25-08-2011, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Blackberries are easily the securest, no ones hacked one of them yet

You're being sarcastic right?

**harrybarracuda** · 25-08-2011, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

^ You can jailbreak them and do loads.

Yes, Steve loves it when you do that it it makes the phone really secure.

sabaii sabaii · 25-08-2011, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by pickel

You're being sarcastic right?

I meant the operating system, not voicemails

**pickel** · 25-08-2011, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

I meant the operating system, not voicemails

The hacker got her pictures too, wouldn't that involve hacking the OS?

**baldrick** · 26-08-2011, 03:06 PM

who is she ? 3 holer ?

**pickel** · 26-08-2011, 03:11 PM

^
Paris Hilton, most likely has been a three holer at some point in time.

sabaii sabaii · 26-08-2011, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by pickel

The hacker got her pictures too, wouldn't that involve hacking the OS?

I dunno mate, but them Blackberrys are banned in the UAE and Saudi Arabia because their Governments can't hack them.

Originally Posted by pickel

Paris Hilton, most likely has been a three holer at some point in time.

Thormaturge will wash your mouth out with soap for that.

I wonder if he'd still be so smitten with her with some big black fella clangin his balls on her

**harrybarracuda** · 26-08-2011, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Originally Posted by pickel

The hacker got her pictures too, wouldn't that involve hacking the OS?

I dunno mate, but them Blackberrys are banned in the UAE and Saudi Arabia because their Governments can't hack them.

I think you'll find they are not.

sabaii sabaii · 26-08-2011, 10:41 PM

^ I'm not sure, but it was all over the press last year why they were gonna

**harrybarracuda** · 27-08-2011, 04:31 AM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

^ I'm not sure, but it was all over the press last year why they were gonna

Of course you're not sure. You're wrong, dickhead.

**Fondles** · 27-08-2011, 08:04 AM

The ban was just the BB to BB messaging service wasn't it because they could not monitor it due to the BB encryption.

**harrybarracuda** · 27-08-2011, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Fondles

The ban was just the BB to BB messaging service wasn't it because they could not monitor it due to the BB encryption.

Except there was never a ban. RIM made a deal with them.

sabaii sabaii · 27-08-2011, 11:56 AM

Stop splitting hairs Harry

Email, web browsing and messaging were banned, so the phone was only good for calls and photos.

Why BlackBerry Is Banned In Many Countries?

In the recent days you would have heard lot of news about BlackBerry getting into troubles in many countries. UAE and Saudi Arabia already banned e-mail, web browsing and messaging features of BlackBerry smart phone in their countries. India is also considering to impose a similar ban on BlackBerry services. But why are these countries banning?

How a BlackBerry Works?

Lets look at the way how a BlackBerry exchanges information first. The following diagram depicts BlackBerry exchanging voice, email, messaging and other application data(click on the image for bigger view) with the servers.

Unlike the Apple/Nokia mobiles who uses open standards, BlackBerry uses a highly secured and proprietary data transmission mechanism. Every piece of information that leaves a BlackBerry phone is encrypted and it can only be decrypted by the BlackBerry network data center in Canada. This means that no one can actually understand the encrypted message that travel through the wireless networks and internet.
BlackBerry’s Encryption – Head Ache for Governments

BlackBerry communications are highly secured and they are used by military and government agencies for their communication. Even the president of United States, Mr. Obama uses a BlackBerry for his email communication.
As there is no way for the Government Agencies to intercept the communication that happens through BlackBerry devices, they are considering this as a threat to their national security. In fact it is! For example anti-national elements can communicate with each other over a BlackBerry network without allowing any security agencies to intercept the communication. Not a good thing for security agencies ha!
To get out of this issue, RIM, the manufacturer of BlackBerry mobiles, should find a way to allow every country to intercept it’s users communication that happens through BlackBerry’s. Otherwise, more and more countries may consider banning BlackBerrys.In the recent days you would have heard lot of news about BlackBerry getting into troubles in many countries. UAE and Saudi Arabia already banned e-mail, web browsing and messaging features of BlackBerry smart phone in their countries. India is also considering to impose a similar ban on BlackBerry services. But why are these countries banning?

How a BlackBerry Works?

Lets look at the way how a BlackBerry exchanges information first. The following diagram depicts BlackBerry exchanging voice, email, messaging and other application data(click on the image for bigger view) with the servers.

Unlike the Apple/Nokia mobiles who uses open standards, BlackBerry uses a highly secured and proprietary data transmission mechanism. Every piece of information that leaves a BlackBerry phone is encrypted and it can only be decrypted by the BlackBerry network data center in Canada. This means that no one can actually understand the encrypted message that travel through the wireless networks and internet.
BlackBerry’s Encryption – Head Ache for Governments

BlackBerry communications are highly secured and they are used by military and government agencies for their communication. Even the president of United States, Mr. Obama uses a BlackBerry for his email communication.
As there is no way for the Government Agencies to intercept the communication that happens through BlackBerry devices, they are considering this as a threat to their national security. In fact it is! For example anti-national elements can communicate with each other over a BlackBerry network without allowing any security agencies to intercept the communication. Not a good thing for security agencies ha!
To get out of this issue, RIM, the manufacturer of BlackBerry mobiles, should find a way to allow every country to intercept it’s users communication that happens through BlackBerry’s. Otherwise, more and more countries may consider banning BlackBerrys.

sabaii sabaii · 27-08-2011, 12:00 PM

That came out twice because you are like a computer Harry.

Sometimes you need the data punching into you

OK, the control button is sticky

**Fondles** · 27-08-2011, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Originally Posted by Fondles

The ban was just the BB to BB messaging service wasn't it because they could not monitor it due to the BB encryption.

Except there was never a ban. RIM made a deal with them.

Good for them, personally I don't give a fuck.

**harrybarracuda** · 27-08-2011, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

That came out twice because you are like a computer Harry.

Sometimes you need the data punching into you

OK, the control button is sticky

Your source is shit. They said they were going to ban it if RIM didn't roll over on them. RIM rolled over.

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