| Due to the structure of the mobile | | | | it to steal, and clone the phone's |
| communications system, cellular phones | | | | identification numbers - the ESN and the |
| are significantly more vulnerable to | | | | MIN. Once this information has been |
| "cellular hacks" than other types of | | | | stolen, they can program it in to their |
| phones.The two major dangers with mobile | | | | own phones, and start billing straight |
| communications are eavesdropping, and | | | | to your account. This type of cellular |
| rebilling.On analog networks (which, as | | | | criminal is refered to as a 'cloner,' as |
| of late, have been replaced with the two | | | | they clone the identification |
| types of digital networks: CDMA and GSM) | | | | numbers.Protecting yourself against |
| anyone within range with a scanner could | | | | Rebilling is slightly more difficult |
| pick up your cellular signal, and listen | | | | than eavesdropping. The cellular |
| to what you are discussing. With the | | | | networks have done a lot to increase the |
| recent move towards CDMA and GSM digital | | | | difficulty of the cloner's job, however, |
| networks, calls are encrypted for your | | | | cloning is still happening. Disabling |
| protection, though, eavesdroppers with | | | | "roaming" support on your cell phone is |
| the right patience can still decrypt | | | | one easy way to eliminate much of the |
| these calls, and listen in on your | | | | risk of cloning, cloners like |
| conversation.Protecting one's self | | | | roaming-enabled phones, as it is |
| against eavesdropping is quite simple - | | | | difficult for cellular networks to track |
| consider your cellular phone as a | | | | roaming-enabled phones and shut them |
| handheld radio broadcasting station (as, | | | | down for fraudulent use. Other than |
| that is effectively what it is) and | | | | limiting your roaming usage, protecting |
| don't say anything confidential. It's | | | | yourself against rebilling is likely a |
| unsafe practice to blindly trust any | | | | lost cause - instead, you should ensure |
| communication medium, and always | | | | you review all your cellular bills, and |
| important to remember that neither | | | | report calls to your service |
| cellular communications, nor landline | | | | provider.Adam X. Knife is a technology |
| communications are infinitely secure - | | | | enthusiast who runs a range of |
| both have hundreds of faults and | | | | technology and communications related |
| potential exploits which should be | | | | websites, including the immensely |
| considered.The second type of cellular | | | | popular exeLibrary Windows Process |
| fraud is called Rebilling, or fraudulent | | | | Information database, and a set of cell |
| billing. When a criminal gets a hold of | | | | phone review and long distance phone |
| your cell phone signal, they can dissect | | | | carriers review sites. |