THREATS TO MOBILE NETWORK

SECURITY

by

Gadde. RAVITEJA14304007

CONTENTS:

Introduction

Threads

Types of threads

Protecting your phone

conclusion

Introduction:

Can virus infect the mobile phones?

The answer is YES.

The first known cell-phone virus appeared in 2004 is

cabir.

The chance is increasing day by day and recent hoax virus,

Spam SMS worms is an evidence of it. Due to the financial

aspects associated with wireless communications, this subject is

under through research now. 

Cell-phone Virus Basics:

A cell-phone virus is basically the same thing as a computer virus .an

unwanted executable file that "infects" a device and then copies itself to other

devices. But whereas a computer virus or worm spreads through e-

mail attachments and Internet downloads, a cell-phone virus or worm spreads

via Internet downloads, MMS attachments and Bluetooth transfers.

The most common type of cell-phone infection right now occurs when a cell

phone downloads an infected file from a PC or the Internet ,or phone to

phone.

Threats: A mobile phone user especially smartphone user is exposed to various threats

when they use their phone. In the last two quarters of 2012, the number of

unique mobile threats grew by 26.1%, according to ABI  (Allied Business

Intelligence Research).These threats can disrupt the operation of the

smartphone, and transmit or modify user data

Problems to mobiles Dew to these threads

Data : data management, therefore they may contain sensitive data

like credit card numbers, authentication information, private information,

activity logs.

Identity : To steal the identity of the owner of a smartphone to commit

other.

Availability

Different types of threats or attacks on mobile security

Attack based on communication (SMS and MMS)

Attacks based on communication networks

Attacks based on vulnerabilities in software applications

Password cracking

Malicious software (malware)

Attack based on communication (SMS and MMS)

Infected text messages sometimes steal the subject line from a

message you have received from a friend(chinese characters),

which of course increases the likelihood of your opening it.

A virus that spreads via MMS gets into the phone's contact list

and sends itself to every phone number stored there.

In all of these transfer methods, the user has to agree at least

once (and usually twice) to run the infected file.

Attacks based on the GSM networks:

These are form dew to the miss matching of encryption algorithms. The

attacker may try to break the encryption of the mobile network and can able

change the temporary identity(TMSI) . Once the encryption algorithm of

GSM is broken, the attacker can intercept all unencrypted

communications made by the victim's smartphone.

Attacks based on Wi Fi: WAP bridges the mobile world and the Internet

Attacks based on communication networks

Attacks on Mobile WAP network

Principle of Bluetooth based:

The user receives a virus via Bluetooth when the phone is in discoverable mode In this case, the virus spreads like an airborne illness.

The WAP protocol is now the leading standard for information services on

wireless terminals like digital mobile phones. By the use of WAP, there is a

possibility of wireless devices like mobile phones, getting infected with

virus and worms.

Attacks based on vulnerabilities in software applications

Web browser : Internet downloads - The virus spreads the same way a

traditional computer virus does. The user downloads an infected file to the phone by

way of a PC or the phone's own Internet connection. This may include file-sharing

downloads, applications available from add-on sites (such as ringtones or games)

and false security patches posted on the Symbian Web site.

Operating system: Problem in updating os

Password cracking: the possibility of cracking a device's password through a smudge attack. It is literally imaging the finger smudges on the screen to discern the user's password . The researchers were able to discern the device password up to 68% of the time under certain conditions.

Malicious software (malware):

A malware is a computer program that aims to harm the system in which it resides.

The three phases of malware attacks

Infection

Accomplishment of its goal

Spread to other systems

Examples of malware

Viruses and trojans

Spyware

A Trojan is a program that is on the smartphone and allows external users to

connect discreetly . ex; red browser based on java, spyware based on simbion

A worm is a program that reproduces on multiple computers across a network.

A virus is malicious software designed to spread to other computers by inserting

itself into legitimate programs and

running programs in parallel.

Protecting Your Phone

Turn off Bluetooth discoverable

mode

Check security updates to learn

about filenames you should keep

an eye out for.

Install some type of security

software on your phone.

Memory Protection.

Spam filters.

Not always changed Default

settings.

Conclusion:The best way to protect yourself from cell-phone viruses is the same way you

protect yourself from computer viruses: Never open anything if you don't know

what it is, haven't requested it or have any suspicions whatsoever that it's not what

it claims to be. That said, even the most cautious person can still end up with an

infected phone.

Sources1."Cell-Phone Viruses." TechnologyReview.com.http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/05/issu e/feature_emerging.asp?p=9

2."Cell phone virus turns up the heat." News.com.http://news.com.com/Cell+phone+virus+turns+up+the+heat/2100 - 7349_3-5520003.html

3."Clock's ticking on phone virus outbreak, experts say." News.com.http://news.com.com/Clocks+ticking+on+phone+virus+outbreak%2C+experts+say/2100-7349_3-5756428.html?tag=mainstry

4. European Telecommunications Standards Institute (2011). "3GPP Confidentiality and Integrity Algorithms &UEA1 UIA1".[dead link]

5. Mobile security Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia