Download How a cell phone user can be secretly tracked across the globe

How a cell phone user can be
secretly tracked across the globe
“HOW YOU CAN BE TRACKED ANYWHERE IN
THE WORLD”
Enrique Escribano Hinojar
CS458 - IIT
Privacy and Surveillance
 We should be much worried about our privacy, not
only on the Internet.
 Carrying a cellphone = sensor in our pocket that
tracks every move we make.
 Governments, security agencies (NSA) working with
third companies.
 Billions of phones using SS7 Protocol.
SS7 Protocol
 Signaling System Number 7 (SS7) is used by most
telecom operators around the world to communicate
with one another when:
Directing calls
 Text messages
 Internet data

 It allows cell phone carriers to collect location
information from cell phone towers to share it with
each other.
Lax of security of SS7
 SS7: built decades ago, when only a few large carriers
controlled the bulk of global phone traffic.
 Now there are thousands of companies using SS7:
Have access to the SS7 network
 Send queries to other companies
 Share their access and information

 Carriers’ systems: transmit only to trusted
companies.
 But the protections against unintended access are
weak and easily defeated. Also carriers fail in
blocking unauthorized SS7 queries.
How about improving security?
 Telecommunications experts say networks have
become so huge and complex that implementing new
security measures to defend against these
surveillance systems could cost billions of dollars
 It also can hurt the functioning of basic services,
such as routing calls, texts and Internet to
customers.
Surveillance vendors & Hackers
 Strategic solution that infiltrates and is undetected and
unknown by the network, carrier, or the target.
 Privacy advocates are not only worried by governments
getting their hands on these systems, but also about
hackers and criminal gangs using it.
 INFILTRATOR: “Real-time tracking system”



http://infiltrator.mobi/defentek_infiltrator_realtime_global_tracking_technologies.html
Just entering the phone number you can track it
Only available to the Government, NSA and Military sectors.
Quick Demo
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
srv/special/national/cell-phone-tracking/
 Will be posted on Piazza too.
Questions?