Turning WiFi into an IMSI-Catcher

In a recent presentation at BlackHat Europe, two Oxford University academics revealed significant privacy flaws in the set up of mobile networks, allowing anyone to track mobile phones using a WiFi-enabled laptop, or other WiFi device. The work of researchers Piers O’Hanlon and Ravishankar Borgaonkar shows how to use WiFi to perform the same role as an IMSI-catcher, though their technique only permits the tracking of the phone and cannot be used for the interception of voice or data.

A synopsis of the presentation is available at the website of the Oxford University CompSci Department; see here. The full slide pack can be found at the BlackHat conference website; look here.

Eric Priezkalns
Eric Priezkalnshttp://revenueprotect.com

Eric is the Editor of Commsrisk. Look here for more about the history of Commsrisk and the role played by Eric.

Eric is also the Chief Executive of the Risk & Assurance Group (RAG), an association of professionals working in risk management and business assurance for communications providers. RAG was founded in 2003 and Eric was appointed CEO in 2016.

Previously Eric was Director of Risk Management for Qatar Telecom and he has worked with Cable & Wireless, T‑Mobile, Sky, Worldcom and other telcos. He was lead author of Revenue Assurance: Expert Opinions for Communications Providers, published by CRC Press.

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