Cellphone hacking 'theoretical'

AFR

'THEORETICAL': Phone companies say claims that hackers are able to break into mobile phone calls and listen in are "theoretical".

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New Zealand phone companies say claims that hackers are able to break into mobile phone calls and listen in, through a new code-breaking system, are "theoretical".

A German security expert raised the ire of the mobile phone industry when he and a group of researchers posted online a how-to guide to cracking the encryption that keeps the phone calls of GSM-standard mobile phone users secret.

Karsten Nohl, 28, said he and others working online and around the world created a code book showing how to get past the GSM encryption used to keep conversations on more than three billion mobile phones safe from prying ears.

Even with Mr Nohl's exploit, expensive and sophisticated radio equipment placed close to the target is required to pull the calls off the air.

His effort undermines the 21-year-old algorithm used to ensure the privacy of phone calls made on GSM (global system for mobile communication) mobile phone networks.

Vodafone and 2degrees both use GSM for voice traffic. The GSM phone network has been used in New Zealand for about 16 years and is the 2G network for many phones that provide just voice calls and text messages.

However, 3G phones could be at risk if they were outside the 3G network, when they reverted to the 2G system automatically.

Vodafone spokesman Paul Brislen said Vodafone believed it was still only a "theoretical breach" of GSM mobile phone security.

"Vodafone takes security very seriously," he said. "As soon as there is any indication we need to make changes to security protocols we'll enact those on a global basis as quickly as needed."

Telecom's CDMA and XT networks are not at risk. "We don't have a GSM network so our customers should not be concerned," a Telecom spokeswoman said.

Telecom worked hard to make sure phone calls were confidential, but she was not able to say if Telecom calls could be at risk if customers were speaking to someone using the GSM network.

But to listen in to another call, a hacker would need to know the person's phone number and be able to tap in at the right time, as well as having the software to break the code.

Mr Nohl said the online how-to guide was aimed at pushing firms to improve security. The collaborative effort put the information online through torrent file-sharing sites.

- © Fairfax NZ News