GSM Security Feature, Threats and Solution

GSM Security Features

Confidentiality
Protects voice, data and sensitive signalling information (e.g. dialled digits) and prevent them against eavesdropping on the radio path

Anonymity
Protects against someone tracking the location of the user or identifying calls made to or from the user by eavesdropping on the radio path

Authentication
Network operator can verify the identity of the subscriber making it tougher to clone someone else’s mobile phone.

GSM security threats

Unilateral authentication and vulnerability to man-in-the-middle-attack

Happens to the network that authenticate users. User’s network is not authenticated so the user can use a false BTS with the same mobile network code as the subscribers network to impersonate himself and perform a man-in-the-middle-attack. This allows the attackers to perform several scenarios to modify the exchanged data.

Denial of service attack

This happens when a single attacker is capable of disabling the entire GSM cell

Vulnerability to replay attacks

This allows the attacker to misuse the previously exchanged messages between subscriber and network. 

GSM security Solutions
Enabling User authentication
User authentication mechanisms generally available on most devices are PINs and passwords. While such knowledge-based authentication mechanisms are not foolproof, they are not the first barrier toward deterring unauthorized access to cell phones.


Avoid questionable actions
Malicious programs are spread to mobile phones mainly through communications channels such as multimedia messages or Bluetooth connections. Any messages or contacts received on a mobile phone from an unknown number or device should be treated with suspicion.




Reference

http://www.slideshare.net/Garry54/solutions-to-the-gsm-security-weaknesses

1.  

1.