New device developed by hacker can tap calls

Bangalore: A computer security researcher, Chris Paget, has developed a device, priced at $ 1,500, which can tap and record calls on the GSM networks. In a demonstration in the DefCon conference, Piaget intercepted few calls made by fellow hackers in the audience. Although this is possible only in the GSM or 2G networks, it raises some serious concern as to what can criminals do with such software. Unfortunately, users have few options to secure themselves from such attacks. However phones running on 3G or 4G standards are not vulnerable to these attacks. So an iPhone or a smartphone is safe from such an interception. The device, called the IMSI catcher (refers to the unique International Mobile Subscriber Identity numbers that phones use to identify themselves to cellular networks), tricks nearby cell phones into believing it is a legitimate cell phone tower and routing their calls through it. Paget uses Internet-based calling technology to complete the calls and log everything that's said. The warning is that recipients can see numbers on their Caller IDs that are different than the cell numbers of the people calling them. The number of GSM users in the world clock at 3 billion and if this device is used in a wrong way, it could pose some serious threat to the privacy of the people.