SYSTEMATIZATION OF SECURITY OF MOBILE NETWORKS

Abstract

Although the cryptographic algorithm is the most noticeable weakness of second-generation systems, the GSM security flaws are not limited to this. In particular, it does not provide mutual authentication. In GSM systems, the user was required to authenticate before being allowed access to the network; however, the reverse is not true – the user is not given the option to authenticate the radio station. The technological revolution that took place in the late 90s with the advent of software-defined radio (SDR), made not only possible, but even quite cheap attacks based on "fraudulent base stations", that is, fictitious radio stations controlled by an attacker, who, thus, was able to intercept and interfere with the messages of end users