GSM eavesdropping: another reason to choose Sprint/CDMA

[jeffdlb]

This may be another reason to stay with (or move to Sprint), which uses CDMA rather than GSM/TDMA protocols:

Hackers Show It's Easy to Snoop on a GSM Call - PC World

 

[IOWA]

You can do this with cdma just as easily.

 

[jeffdlb]

I believe it is much harder to eavesdrop on CDMA than TDMA/GSM. Am I wrong about that?

 

[SamuraiBigEd]

I believe it is much harder to eavesdrop on CDMA than TDMA/GSM. Am I wrong about that?

Not for Big Brother...

 

[neodorian]

Since when is this news? It was only a few years ago that AT&T voluntarily allowed the NSA to illegally wiretap all data going through their networks. One reason I will never do business with those people.

 

[jeffdlb]

Since when is this news? It was only a few years ago that AT&T voluntarily allowed the NSA to illegally wiretap all data going through.

The news was not about the company allowing NSA to get data from their system, it was about non-NSA individuals being able to decrypt phone signals without permission from the company. Big difference. The news item shows a vulnerability in the current GSM/TDMA encryption standard. CDMA, because it uses "frequency hopping," is more difficult to eavesdrop.

 

[Bigjohn]

The news was not about the company allowing NSA to get data from their system, it was about non-NSA individuals being able to decrypt phone signals without permission from the company. Big difference. The news item shows a vulnerability in the current GSM/TDMA encryption standard. CDMA, because it uses "frequency hopping," is more difficult to eavesdrop.

GSM was DESIGNED by the "European governments" to be "monitorable".

CDMA had no such design requirement.

GSM = median talk / stand by times
CDMA = huge standby times, average talk times

CDMA phones tend to have better battery life on 'data' mode than GSM too.

GSM typically can allow voice and data at the same time, if the CELL allows it - but this takes multiple connection channels. in a congested network area, this may not function properly (sorry ATT, but you suck, and you LIE!)

CDMA networks could do this too, but, how often do you need to actually hold a conversation while surfing, on your CELL PHONE!?

 

[neodorian]

The news was not about the company allowing NSA to get data from their system, it was about non-NSA individuals being able to decrypt phone signals without permission from the company. Big difference. The news item shows a vulnerability in the current GSM/TDMA encryption standard. CDMA, because it uses "frequency hopping," is more difficult to eavesdrop.

I was referring to the "big brother" comment preceding mine.

 

[jeffdlb]

I was referring to the "big brother" comment preceding mine.

OK, understood--it's sometimes hard to follow the references in these threads!