{"id":40656,"date":"2015-01-13T08:53:17","date_gmt":"2015-01-13T16:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=40656"},"modified":"2025-08-07T00:53:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T07:53:57","slug":"mobile-device-or-super-spy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/mobile-security\/mobile-device-or-super-spy\/","title":{"rendered":"Every Step You Take, Every Call You Make: Is Your Phone Watching You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine a world where every mobile move you make \u2013 each text message and phone call \u2013 is broadcast to complete strangers. A world where owning a mobile device means giving up your right to personal privacy.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately with the recent Signaling System 7 (SS7) research<\/a> that has come to light, it appears that this world already exists \u2013 and we\u2019re living in it.<\/p>\n

SS7 is a set of telecommunication protocols that dates back to the 80s. These protocols are used to set up, manage and disconnect any calls that are made on the majority of the world\u2019s publicly switched telephone networks. And, what\u2019s worse is that its privacy measures are as dated as the protocols themselves.<\/p>\n

Since SS7 was designed prior to the surge of mainstream cellular use, its security measures just haven\u2019t kept up with the times.<\/p>\n

During Chaos Communication Congress 31c3 this past month, frightening research was revealed regarding these dated security measures and the ease at which they allow SS7 to be exploited.<\/p>\n

There are gaping holes that exist in the SS7 protocol that, when exploited, allow attackers to re-route calls and text messages or carry out distributed denial-of-service attacks.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s even more frightening is that these holes also allow anyone to easily learn a mobile user\u2019s location and thus track their every move. This means that someone halfway around the world could compile a detailed profile of your movements, without you ever knowing.<\/p>\n

All that\u2019s needed to accomplish this grotesque invasion of privacy? A valid cell phone number.<\/p>\n

Currently, anyone is able to purchase SS7 access from telecom and network operators. Some companies are even selling the ability to track your mobile device, wherever you go. \u00a0Once this access is granted and the victim\u2019s mobile number is in hand, potential attackers can begin tracking, just as simple as that.<\/p>\n

As we\u2019ve discussed before, mobile spyware<\/a> is a tool that allows hackers to gain control of your mobile device and turn it into a stalking machine. The flaws in the SS7 protocol create a giant, worldwide tracker out of your mobile device, amplifying the threat of such spyware \u2013 an extremely frightening reality for consumers.<\/p>\n

Possible Solutions<\/h2>\n

A solution exists for a small subset of Qualcomm users, running firmware 4.1 or higher through a recently developed app called SnoopSnitch. This app offers protection against the vulnerabilities presented by SS7. Aside from this, there has yet to be a response from telecommunications providers detailing how they intend to fix this issue.<\/p>\n

With SS7\u2019s flaws and other mobile spyware running rampant, it\u2019s now more vital than ever to install comprehensive security software on your mobile device. McAfee\u00ae <\/sup>Mobile Security<\/a> is free for Android<\/a> and iOS<\/a> users, and offers a variety of protections, including one that detects and wards against most forms of spyware.<\/p>\n

As always, to keep up with the latest security threats, make sure to follow @McAfee_Home<\/a> on Twitter and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Imagine a world where every mobile move you make \u2013 each text message and phone call \u2013 is broadcast to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":195288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1838],"tags":[4322,4238,214],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-40656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mobile-security","tag-app-security","tag-mcafee-mobile-security","tag-mobile-security1"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEvery Step You Take, Every Call You Make: Is Your Phone Watching You? | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Imagine a world where every mobile move you make \u2013 each text message and phone call \u2013 is broadcast to complete strangers. 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