GSM SIM Cloning

[nihil]

Hey oofki, even the RIAA/MPAA haven't (quite) managed to re-write the US Constitution............ probably someone else has the copyright?

Having the cards isn't a problem (at least in the UK) I think that you have it right with the "using one at a time angle". I took the view that the provider would limit you, but if they don't or can't then you are effectively getting two services for the price of one....................?

In most parts of the World, that is called "fraud", which is what I guess the guys in Mumbai got done for?

[jockey0109]

I shouldn't think so............... after all you are paying for the service not the SIM card?

It might violate your contract though?

What good the world would be if that what we want would be done by everyone! But it is not so. In my place, I see the worst use of SIM cloning. I have seen cases where the terrorists used a cloned phone to kidnap someone and the original person was caught. This is a deadly thing if used in a wrong direction and is of course illegal. Can we consider all that too while trying to explain how to copy all those important numbers onto a blank chip?

[nihil]

Hello there Jock~,

Firstly, might I personally thank you for your contributions regarding the IT scene in India; these are most illuminating, and interesting.

In my place, I see the worst use of SIM cloning. I have seen cases where the terrorists used a cloned phone to kidnap someone and the original person was caught.

That would seem to be just another aspect of "identity theft"?............. the same could happen with an unsecured wireless connection?

Can we consider all that too while trying to explain how to copy all those important numbers onto a blank chip?

I fully support your concerns, and this site has a policy of not tolerating criminal activity, let alone promoting it.

This is one of the reasons that I very much appreciate your Indian aspect contributions............. I could go about 500 yards up the road and get a cloned SIM for £10.

That would be about 10% of the weekly earnings of the lowest paid over here................ if you worked a full 37 hours a week, then it would be less.

[jockey0109]

Even though it is a bit personal to but, I would like to tell you a habit of mine:

I like to find new things on a regular basis. Someday I got really interested in finding how those people in mumbai could use a SIM at two places. I went through many many pages on google only to find the SAME news all over without getting too much details.

In addition, I was able to find some sites (the names of which I do not remember) offered Hardware+Software for as low as 25 USD (Shipping charges extra). One of them offered a set of BLANK SIMs for just 10 USD.

As you said, you could clone "YOUR" sim easily down the street. OK that is very very OK. At the end of the day, you are making a copy of the SIM that you yourself own.

When I used to Google upon the SIM cloning aspect, I saw that ESN (Electronic Serial Number) of any SIM is just like the password to the ID of that SIM. I am not too much learned in this feild but that was all I could conclude at that time.

Now let me tell me one frightening fact: Someday almost 1 year back, I learnt that there are MOBILE CODES for GSM and CDMA phones to display IMEI, Battery Status and other important numbers. SO whenever I would get a new phone in my hands, I just tried all the codes I could remember. One day I got one of my father's friend. Even though the phone was a motorola phone, I typed down some "WRONG" code for NOKIA and . . . my eyes almost popped out ... it displayed the ESN. I asked myself twice "What number did I key in"?? My mind couldn't recollect the number but then, I saw something on the screen which was not very appreciable. Of course the cloning of that SIM would have been damn easy ... all I had to do was to apply some 'socil engineering' techniques... and the person would have never known the reasons for his ever increasing bills. (It is difficult here in INDIA to trace back digital crimes... the police and the companies do not take a lot of care after the security).

The scene is so bulnerable that a simple ... a very very simple input validation attack on one of the India's LARGEST mobile service provider's website would throw away the complete call history of mobiles on your screen in XML format. I do not think that a person using computer since 1 year would not be able to read that thing. I noticed its existence only after it was published in a newspaper ... someone tried to backmail some (corrupt) police officer ... and he was screwed in the name of HACKING.

Well, Its not the right place to debate over social topics. But thats the status of security in India. Yeah, we produce a large part of the engineers working worldwide but we certainly lack them in the motherland.

NO OFFENCE MEANT FOR ANYONE

PEACE~