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Monitoring mobile communication network,

how does it work? How to prevent such thing

about that?

潘維亞 (P78017058) 周明哲 (P48027049)

劉子揚 (N96011156)

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Contents

• How mobile communications work• Why monitoring?• Monitoring in the mobile communication network

o Mobile Spyo Mobile Security

Attacks based on communication network

• Case study : Online i-banking hackso How does it work?o How to prevent it?

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How mobile communications work• Every day, we make calls, send messages or connect to the Internet

using mobile devices but rarely stop to wonder how it all works.

• So what is actually going on behind the scenes to enable your mobile to do what it does?

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How mobile communications work • Mobile communications work by using low power radio waves necessary to

carry speech and data. When a call is made, the signal is handed across a network of linked geographic areas called cells - hence the term cellphone - until it reaches its destination.

• A piece of equipment called a base station transmits signals from one cell to the next, or to land-line networks. Each cell is the area that each base station covers. Base stations are often called masts, towers or cell-sites.

• Mobile communication is a communication network that does not involve cable or wire connection between two entities.

• The current mobile communications technologies are • GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)• CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access).

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Why monitoring?

Attacker

Professionals

Thieves (data or identities)

Black hat hackers

Grey hat hackers

General User

Keep Credibility

Increase Efficiency

Reduce Costs

Security

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Mobile Communication Network Monitoring Application

We monitor someone or system• Remote Monitoring Using Wireless Cellular Networks• Mobile Monitoring System for Smart Home• Mobile Spy

• Cell Phone Monitoring Software• Parental Monitoring Control

We are monitored from someone • Mobile Security

• Monitoring Smartphones for Anomaly Detection• Attacks based on communication network

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Mobile Spy• Monitor Your Child or Employee

• Silently monitor phone surroundings, text messages, GPS locations, call details, photos, social media activity and more.

• Using the Internet capabilities of the phone, recorded activities, logs and GPS locations are quickly uploaded to your Mobile Spy account. To view the results, simply login to your secure account using any computer or mobile web browser. Logs are displayed by categories and sorted for easy browsing.

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Mobile Security

• Mobile security or mobile phone security has become increasingly important in mobile computing. It is of particular concern as it relates to the security of personal information now stored on smartphones.

• All smartphones, as computers, are preferred targets of attacks. These attacks exploit weaknesses related to smartphones that can come from means of communication like SMS, MMS, Wi-Fi networks, and GSM. There are also attacks that exploit software vulnerabilities from both the web browser and operating system. Finally, there are forms of malicious software that rely on the weak knowledge of average users.

• Different security counter-measures are being developed and applied to smartphones, from security in different layers of software to the dissemination of information to end users. There are good practices to be observed at all levels, from design to use, through the development of operating systems, software layers, and downloadable apps.

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Attacks based on communication1 Attack based on SMS & MMS

1.1 Attack on phone system (cause malfunction)1.2 Intercept and relay message to third party

2 Attacks based on communication networks

2.1 Attacks based on the GSM networks (IMSI-catcher)

2.2 Attacks based on Wi-Fi (Packet sniffing)

3 Attacks based on vulnerabilities in software

applications3.1 Web Browser (Phishing)3.2 Operating System

4 Physical attacks

5 Malicious Software (Malware)

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Attack based on SMS & MMS• The attack isn’t new and SMS-stealing malware is embedded in many

fake mobile applications and abuses the brands of multiple banks.

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Attacks based on the GSM networksIMSI-catcher • An IMSI catcher is essentially a false mobile tower acting between the target

mobile phone(s) and the service providers real towers. As such it is considered a Man In the Middle (MITM) attack. It is used as an eavesdropping device used for interception and tracking of cellular phones and usually is undetectable for the users of mobile phones.

• A Man-in-the-Middle attack is a type of cyber attack where a malicious actor inserts him/herself into a conversation between two parties, impersonates both parties and gains access to information that the two parties were trying to send to each other.

• A Man-in-the-Middle Attack allows a malicious actor to intercept, send, and receive data meant for someone else, or not meant to be sent at all, without either outside party knowing until it is too late.

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Attacks based on Wi-Fi

Packet sniffing• Packet sniffing is used to monitor packets traveling across a network.

Packet sniffing software -- often called network monitoring software -- allows a user to see each byte of information that passes from a computer or server across the network.

It can be used to detect network problems or intrusions and can also be used maliciously to try to get access to user names and passwords.

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Attacks based on vulnerabilities in software applications

Web Browser (Phishing)• Phishing is the act of attempting to acquire information such as

usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money) by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

• Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, banks, online payment processors or IT administrators are commonly used to lure unsuspecting public. Phishing emails may contain links to websites that are infected with malware.

• Phishing is typically carried out by email spoofing or instant messaging, and it often directs users to enter details at a fake website whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one

Case study : Online i-banking hacks• A real case happened with several

banks in Thailand

• Criminals usually got several hundreds thousand from each victim

• There are several methods of attack than have been used Man-in-middle Packet sniffing Phishing Identity stealing

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Web login

Username/Password

Transaction Request

Thai internet banking process

One-Time-Password

Web OTP confirm

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Criminal’s method : Trojan on mobile phone

• Criminal send a fake SMS to victim by using application that change phone number of sender to bank’s phone number

“For ensure your safety, we introduce you our new i-banking app. This can help you keep your information safe while using i-banking from your mobile devices. URL: ….”

• Message contain a URL which is linked to an application installation

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• Comparison between true and fake webpage

Criminal’s method : Trojan on mobile phone

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Criminal’s method : Trojan on mobile phone

• Example of fake website

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Criminal’s method : Trojan on mobile phone

• Once installed, it acts as an i-banking application

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Information stealing method

Web login

Username/Password

Transaction Request

One-Time-Password

Web OTP confirm

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Criminal has control of victim’s account

Web login

Username/Password

Transaction Request

One-Time-Password

Web OTP confirm

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How to prevent it? : Client view• Never download untrusted app (not certified in App store or

Play store)• Never input username/password into non-official

application• Check the site security sign before enter any personal

information• Don’t use i-banking on the main saving account• Active real-time monitor such as SMS or e-mail report

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How to prevent it? : Company view• Always inform client about untrusted app or website• Release only matured version of application to prevent

confusion of users• Use better type of secondary identification system.

(i.e. hard token)

Passwords are generated offline. No communication between

device and bank. Bank system calculates passcode

to confirm the identity. Much safer that SMS system

(soft token).

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Thank you