Attacking GSM Networks as a Script Kiddie Using Commodity Hardware and Software

Abstract

With the emergence of widely available hardware and software tools for GSM hacking, the security of cellular networks is threatened even by script kiddies. In this paper we present four different attacks in GSM networks, using commodity hardware as well as open source and freely available software tools. All attacks are performed using a common DVB-T TV tuner, which is used as a sniffer for the GSM radio interface, as well as an Arduino combined with a GSM shield that is used as a software programmable mobile phone. The attacks target both mobile users and the network, ranging from sniffing the signaling traffic to tracking and performing denial of service to the subscribers. Despite the script kiddie style of the attacks, their consequences are critical and threaten the normal operation of the cellular networks.