Database Info

identify if IMSI catchers were used with field test?

Hello all
I've been reading this forum for some months now and i like the windows'es and informations i've found here on my Hermes device
But now i have some questions on using the often integrated tool field test.
I've found out that with the IMSI-catcher (german wikipedia as one of the sources), that are more and more often used semi-legal by the police(here in europe there are a lot of 'GA-90' devices sold to the police and other institutions), it is possible to listen to phone calls(man in the middle attack), by just 'emulating' the strongest phone-cell in the area, to which the device connects instead of connecting to the provider's cell.
I also read that it would be possible to find out if there was an imsi-catcher device active in the area near you or not. The only thing needed is a special monitor software (field test?) that observes the MNC(Mobile Network Codes) behavior(appearently you need 2 handy's from the same provider with the monitoring software running).
But they didn't explain exactly on which behavior you should pay attention.
Since I could use 2 windows mobile devices to test this out, I am searching for more detailled information on this subject, and the first place that came in my mind was xda-developers
I allready did search this forum for the subject imsi catcher, and the only thing I've found is this.
google result
so one person who tries to change hies imei number, and another one who doesn't seem to know exactly what an imsi catcher can do.
Is here anyone who knows more?
I know that where I live, there are pple who make abuse with IMSI-catchers(catching calls without the permission from a judge or similar, or even one time someone listening to his girlfriends phone calls to see if she's cheating(and she did and that was the reason he left her))And yes this one was a young policeman who told that to his friends and even was proud of it.
I also dislike the fact that the handy, instead of the encrypted one with the provider's cell, has an non encrypted connection to the imsi catcher(if not there would be no possibility for a listening man in the middle attack).
I also read about the cellphones from http://www.cryptophone.de/
Appearently they do allways have encrypted conversations even through an Imsi-catcher. But if that would be true, the other side will need the same handy to decrypt it again. Because it has to encrypt, the allready encrypted data traffic with the provider's cell, if not it can't allow any protection against IMSI -Catcher devices. I also ask myself if, depending on where u want to use it, the 2nd encryption could produce a to huge phone traffic that could result p.ex. in a robot voice...
Anyone who could light me up?
Or is there any software able of reencrypting the encrypted transfer on windows mobile devices?technically it should be possible(2nd phone dialer installed so you choose the normal one for normal calls and 2nd one for calls with pple who also have this software installed on their phones)perhaps not with an 256 bit encryption but perhaps with a 128 or 64 bit encryption...
BTW, if there would be anyone able to programm such a hot piece of software for windows mobile devices I wouldn't have any problem to donate him with paypal, and i suppose other pple would do the sameAnd no I don't wanna replace that by Voip or skype via HTC...
Thanks in advance
Patrick

So no one who knows more about this?
I would be very happy if i could at least test if they're really used that often as they say they are(where i live).
And since i could try it in different major 'cities' over here, i suppose catching a imsi catcher soon or later
I'm quite curios if all the pple, telling that there is a lot of abuse with these machines, are right, or if that's all nonsens...

It would be nice if a warning icon could be integrated into Windows Mobile or the dialer to indicate that a call is not being encrypted. Read the Wikipedia entry for IMSI-catcher for more info. I'm guessing CDMA is largely unaffected since the hole seems to rely on the UMTS spec's backward-compatibility with GSM.
I'd also like to note that Skype is the way to go for true endpoint to endpoint call encryption. You know, if you're a gangster or something and need to brush off the popos. It would be interesting to investigate whether the WM6 integrated VOIP stack requires authentication/encryption.

seeking software to track phone minutes used per month (believe me, i've searched)

Hi there,
I can't believe how hard this has been...
My phone is a WM6.0 Motorola Q9H Smartphone. (Fido/Rogers standard)
All I'm looking for is software that will tell me how many minutes I've used the phone for this month so that I can stay within my free minutes.
The only feature it needs to have is separate peak and off-peak periods and configurable start-of-month day. Bonus -- the ability to set some free phone numbers.
LCMinutes was the closest I came but the interface doesn't let me actually edit the settings, strangely. (I select Edit, and then can scroll the settings but can not actually get the cursor to edit a text box.)
All the rest of the call minutes tracking software I've found is either for older Smartphone versions or Pocket PC editions. I did find one $6 software but it doesn't have peak/off-peak settings or pretty well any configurability.
<vent>
I'm actually more amazed than frustrated that it's been this hard -- surely there has to be something out there for a Motorola Q9h user (an extremely popular phone), and presumably *hundreds of thousands* of other WM6 smartphone users that are in the same boat. It's not like it's specialty software. This would be one of the most basic software requirements for a smartphone, one would think. The conspiracy theorist in me is beginning to think that the carriers have worked to prevent this kind of software from getting out there, so that they can gouge the consumer on minute fees!
</end vent>
Someone tell me there's something out there!
Thanks XDA'ers,
Shiraz

real voice over wifi

I many forums, people say that nothing is developed for voip. There are several solutions, but they all channel the voip over the GSM/voice channel (iSkoop, Skype lite). See also: http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Android+VOIP
Obviously we get double charges: 1) we pay the VOIP fee and 2) the minutes.
So my questions:
1) Is there any hardware issue that would compromise voip?
2) If not what is the state of the development? Is there anything in the horizon?
3) Since the market place is not the only way of distributing content for Android, how could TMo/Google avoid independent developer to create a "real" voip application?
4) How hard would it be given what is available in terms of development?

voip
i use skype, and i have found out a way to get around all the fees....
so.. here it is.
setup skype, and i pay yearly, then skype dials the same number ever time, so i put that number in myfavs. ta-da!

I use UMA over wifi. There are two ways of doing it with T-Mo, one is $9.99 for unlimited ([email protected]), and the other way is just making calls while connected to wifi. That way uses your minutes, but doesn't have a monthly fee.
Unfortunately the G1 isn't UMA enabled, so I got a cheap Samsung for UMA calling.

I love the internet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Igo7brlRo
Release date in May. Cheers everyone, real voice over Wifi is coming!!!!

Since I am at it, here's the link to the company that ported mjsip to android:
http://blog.roychowdhury.org/2008/03/10/we-have-sip-working-on-android/
Cheers

aad4321 said:
will it work over 3g/edge?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's a very good question. I think the guys in the vid used only wifi (from what they say).
I see one big problem with VOIP over 3G: carriers. They will never want you to use Voip on the go because this would hack their major cash flow (the GSM fees).
For voice over WIFI, that may be less of a problem. If you look at Skype on the iPhone, you can give a call over wifi without using your minutes. In other words, Skype received the blessings from ATT and Apple. Let's hope T-Mo blesses all of us too!

[Q] [REQ] App to block transmission of MSISDN to block value-added services

Hi there,
I am using an Android Phone in Germany. In the last months a lot of people klicked some adds in their apps and found themselves in a specific kind of value-added-service subscription. Apparently the MSISDN (through which the caller is identified) is transmitted and some dubious value-added service providers like EriXXXon IPX for example charge you about 80€/month for a completely useless subscription for services you never ordered. The cashing works through your local cell-network provider. Since the contract itself was concluded not with your network provider, but with some third party in Far Far Away the provider refuses to refund the money. One would have to contact the Far Far Away company which surprisingly would not respond to your pleas. The network provider on the other hand says, that there is no technical possibility to simply block or disable those services via customer demand. And currently there are no laws in Germany (and Europe afaic) that would prevent this kind of rip-off.
So my question: Is there a possibillity to simply block the sending of the MSISDN during a WAP-Request? Because thats seems to be the protocol over which the MSISDN is transmitted. WAP-Billing is a surplus technology with all those smartphones out there, so maybe it would be sufficient to simply switch off WAP transmission completely while leaving all the other internet protocols switched on.
Any help (e.g. like an app ) would be very much appreciated.

None of you with a hint? An idea? Or the same problem? What a pity...

WAN-MSISDN : disable added-value-services by MSIDN: WANTED.
O yea, I have, fearing the drowsy minute late at the end of a working day where I can not practice "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" claimed by "defence against the dark arts" teacher Moody... Still it is as you described and none of us willingly to be ripped-of german sheep had yet the nerve to shout at our providers to shut out the gild of thieves by wire. Could be that they had a lot of homework to do that got neglected AND at the end have a slightly better reputation, but astonishingly some painfully reduced $$$ (i.e. €€€) Signs on their added-value-service-statistics.
Just MHO
Perhaps I come back in a year when I will have plunged in such a trap, will have given the case to some advocacy (because my insurance will pay for it) and have undergone some trial sessions. Lets say you'll hear that I won in about 4 years, and will have lost valuable time like 100h, and could gain no compensation from the fraudy company using WAN MSISDN transmission by the title of some german court
I read you can mail your provider and tell them to disable billing of added-value-services.
"Des Weiteren bieten einige Provider wie Telekom oder Vodafone an, Inkasso-Forderungen per Rechnung sperren zu lassen."
see computerbild in dowmain .de
(search for) / artikel / cb-Tipps-Handy-Smartphone-Abo-Gefahr-App-WAP-Werbung-5888480.html
Yours
Andi

ld browser
BloodyCkickenSoup said:
Hi there,
I am using an Android Phone in Germany. In the last months a lot of people klicked some adds in their apps and found themselves in a specific kind of value-added-service subscription. Apparently the MSISDN (through which the caller is identified) is transmitted and some dubious value-added service providers like EriXXXon IPX for example charge you about 80€/month for a completely useless subscription for services you never ordered. The cashing works through your local cell-network provider. Since the contract itself was concluded not with your network provider, but with some third party in Far Far Away the provider refuses to refund the money. One would have to contact the Far Far Away company which surprisingly would not respond to your pleas. The network provider on the other hand says, that there is no technical possibility to simply block or disable those services via customer demand. And currently there are no laws in Germany (and Europe afaic) that would prevent this kind of rip-off.
So my question: Is there a possibillity to simply block the sending of the MSISDN during a WAP-Request? Because thats seems to be the protocol over which the MSISDN is transmitted. WAP-Billing is a surplus technology with all those smartphones out there, so maybe it would be sufficient to simply switch off WAP transmission completely while leaving all the other internet protocols switched on.
Any help (e.g. like an app ) would be very much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This will not happen if you will use loader droid for these kind of surfing where apps like clauncher mobogenie pop outs and start to download without your permission. Even wap will ask you before subscription that you will be charged 2$for this subscription...when you do it on loader droid downloading subscriptions are not automatic without your permissions..

[Q] Help me pick a phone. Please.

(long post warning...I'm placing the summary first for those who don't care to read the whole thing)
***
In summary, I want a mobile platform that I can tweak until I get it exactly as I like it; that will sync with Windows desktop and server platforms (this is a strong preference, not a "must"; upon which I own things and don't have to worry about them being stolen or broken; that doesn't tell everyone and their mother where I go and what I'm doing; and on which I can listen to Sirius radio; and to which I can transfer data back and forth via USB without any permission based cloud interface. It must also be compatible with Slingplayer software and I have a strong, strong, preference for a slideout QWERTY keyboard, but I'd sacrifice that if I have to for the above functionalities. I'm currently on ATT, but it doesn't have to be that way
***
I am thinking about purchasing a new phone. But the market is a bit more complicated than when I purchased my current phone (HTC Diamond), so I hope that you guys can give me some advice.
I have been a Windows Mobile user since 5.0. What I loved about WM is that I could come here and read about the various hacks, mods, and custom roms and generally find something to address any problems I had, or find a way to modify the phone to meet my preferences.
I love the mobile version of Office and I use it constantly for work purposes. I especially like being able to sync outlook contacts on both phone and device, and that I can make presentations from the phone, and can open and manipulate Word and Excel.
I was also using SiriusXM 6 by tcbush over on Geekstoolbox to listen to satellite radio. Unfortunately, Sirius has taken down their legacy servers that streamed content to third party providers. So it does not appear that I can listen to satellite radio any longer via my mobile device.
It is this turn of events (Sirius radio) that is my main motivator for seeking a new phone. I could listen to Sirius via the web, but that requires a Flash player and I can't find a version of flash for WM 6.1. I have both Opera Mini and IE. So, if any of you know a way for a WM 6.1 device to listen to Sirius, you will have solved my immediate problem and saved me some money. I would really appreciate that.
But on the larger scale, I know that one day I will have to replace my beloved Diamond. Her slideout QWERTY is starting to jiggle, there are a few scratches on her beautiful face even though she hasn't gone a moment without a case and screen protector. Every now and again her D-Pad loses its way, and I have to reboot. Alas, I fear the end is near. *sigh*
So, in looking over the current landscape, I see three options: iphone, Android, and WM7.
Apple products to me are out for personal preference reasons.
That leaves Android and WM7.
Problem 1:
I enjoyed my prior experience of owning a WM phone supported by a network of generous, friendly developers who found ways that we could modify our phones to our hearts' content. I also like the fact that I own my phone and all its content. Once I install or tweak something, then that's it unless I decide to change it.
But the current market seems to be based on a top-down control model. From what I've read, owning a phone with the current tech is like owning a home on leasehold property or in a HOA: You pay full price for ownership but you do not enjoy the rights of control normally associated with that ownership. It seems that the devices are locked, difficult to unlock, find ways to re-lock, and that a Nanny-server may at times uninstall or disable software that it doesn't like.
I just don't get it. Has the culture embraced a model where a user pays a provider only to be told by that provider what he can and cannot do with the property he has purchased?
Of course, my perception of these issues could be incorrect. I recently went back to school and have unplugged from most external things. I haven't been following the "insider info" on xda for nearly two years. If I'm wrong, please tell me.
Problem 2:
User tracking. Sounds Orwellian.
I get it that the cell provider can locate you. I understand the technology reasonably well for regular Joe, and I understand that the network needs to know where you are. But until recently, the cell provider could not release those records without a warrant or some emergency confirmed by law enforcement like a lost person, etc. I actually worked with Sprint in conjunction with the police to attempt to track a stolen phone. However, it now appears that the manufacturers themselves and many app developers are bypassing the law by tracking users without their consent. Am I right on this?
I've read a number of articles on the Apple and Android tracking problems - generic apps tracking you and reporting your movements to Apple, Google, etc. Apps turning on the mic or camera at intervals and tracking your surroundings or conversations. Route these concerns through the awfulness of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Patriot Act, and the fact that both the post-digital presidential administrations (Bush II and Obama) seem intent on eroding what remains of our privacy, and it makes me uncomfortable. To make it worse, Google and Zuckerburg are both in bed with the Obama administration, and stories of their privacy infractions are epidemic.
Yet none of the progs I use on my WM 6.1 device use tracking (that I know of). So, in a very short time, it appears that the culture of mobile communications has gone from an ownership model with Constitutional protections to a free-for-all where you essentially pay big brother to track you.
I have heard many of my younger friends who have grown up in the big-government era use the default: "If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about." But that's exactly backward. The law presumes your privacy and allows infractions only after due process. The current culture seems to presume lack of privacy, and treat privacy-seekers as an anomaly. And the tech seems to reflect the culture rather than the law.
Am I crazy? Even if I am crazy, is there a way to block this tracking? And, if so, does Android or WM7 better lend itself to blocking this tracking?
Problem 3:
USB data transfer.
WM7 doesn't support smart cards. But, the devices seem to have adequate on-board storage for my needs. However, from what I've read, I'll need to use Zune (on WM7, don't know about Android) to move data back and forth. Is that correct?
I currently use Windows Mobile Device Center to transfer files back and forth via USB or Bluetooth, and I really want to keep that functionality.
Thank you if you have read this far. And, given those criteria, what are my best options?

Droid X2. Get it.

Droid X2
Droid X2. Get it.
+1

Thanks for the responses. I've done a bit of research on the phone you recommended, and some research in general. I really need to spool back up
It looks like there are apps out there like WhisperMonitor that will help with my privacy concerns. Actually, it looks like there are Android Apps to address most of my concerns.
I'll keep researching that to determine how much functionality I'll have to sacrifice. And I appreciate the responses. Love the dual core structure of this phone. From what I've read, the benchmarks don't differ too much from single core phones, but it looks like the dual core really helps with load distribution and multi-tasking.
It will be hard to leave Windows...been with it since it was Pocket PC 2000. But atm, it appears that Android may work best for me.

I agree Droid X2, although VZW is expensive, its the best network

Off the basis of wanting a slide out QWERTY and Windows Phone 7, I would go with the HTC Arrive for Sprint. You still have Windows Phone, you can get Sling Player from the Marketplace, and it has a slide out QWERTY that when it slides out, angles the screen for better typing the way I look at it.

samsung galaxy s2
or atrix

If you QWERTY I'd wait till my4g slide if it launches with s-off. I don't imagine you'd be keeping the os in tact.
The g2 is also a beautiful phone. Amazing specs for the good hardware.
T-Mobile is also cheapest, I find, of the four carriers.
The epic 4g seemed nice. Hummingbird (Samsung 1ghz processor) is very nice and has a great gpu.
If you're looking to use google talk video chat, avoid nvidia tegra 2 chips.
Google's suite of software is pretty sweet. Google docs works nice, and there's an app for that.
As long as you download from android market you're good from malware. (If you do get it from market, google does pull the app from the store AND your phone, that's the only time I heard them doing this, and that was once instance.)
Besides... Supporting your developers is a great thing.
Did I miss anything?
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

IMO almost any of the android phones would work for what you have in mind. As you pointed out in your follow up post there are apps out there for your privacy concerns. I've had a Moto Droid and now the HTC Thunderbolt. Both have been synced with my works exchange servers with no issues, google apps work great with Office docs, and the available roms and other customizations are almost endless.
Also, don't get hung up on a QWERTY keyboard. I swore I would never have a phone without one, but now that I do I actually don't really miss it.
Edit:
USB data transfer - very simple to do with android. Install a driver for the phone and then connect to your pc with a USB cable. Your pc will recognize the sdcard as removeable storage. Just select it in My Computer and drag and drop anything you want to move like you would for moving any file around in Windows.