Hackers Said To Try To Hijack Thai Mobile Phones

[george]

Hackers said to try to hijack mobile phones

BANGKOK: -- Mobile operators are warning customers that phone hackers may be trying to hijack their signals through SMS messages asking them to test their phones with a three-digit dialling code.

According to an executive at the top mobile company Advanced Info Service, phone owners should ignore any short-message service text claiming to be from a telephone technician and asking them to dial 90# or #90.

Such warnings surfaced in the United States in 1998, but the technique affected only PABX equipment _ usually in offices _ where users have to dial ''9'' to get an outside line. In such a case, it was theoretically possible for a cracker to gain access and use a hijacked line to make expensive overseas calls, according to Wichien Mektrakarn, executive vice-president for operations of AIS.

''Given the code-like security system standard of mobile handsets and the increasing number of mobile phone users, the mobile phone has emerged as a new target for code hackers,'' he said.

There is no proof that a hacker can actually hijack a mobile phone if he convinces a user to dial the 90# or #90 combination. But cellular company technicians generally advise that: ''Should there be a message over the handset claiming to come from, say, Cellnet or Vodafone representatives checking your phone, and asking you to press #90 or 90# and take the phone off hook,'' ignore it.

''If you follow the suggestion, your phone SIM card will be hacked,'' said one technician. ''Then hackers would be able to make a call through your SIM card serial number, and all expenses will be charged with your phone bill.''

In tests by Bangkok Post staff, 90# opened a SIM connection and #90 did nothing. Neither procedure appeared to open the line to outside interference.

Mr Wichien said that although warnings were spreading about SIM card hacking, there was no reported impact. Still, AIS plans to warn its subscribers.

''What we can do is to warn our customers to not to respond to any alert or unfamiliar message over the handset.''

Third-ranked cellular operator TA Orange is reportedly facing an ''unauthorised free call'' problem of its own.

The hacker community claims TA Orange users can get access to free calls by dialling a certain number through a second phone. TA Orange has blocked the number for Bangkok customers.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-13

Full story on Radio Bangkok at the bottom of every hour:

http://www.radiobangkok.net

[frumau]

I think there will still be quite a few people who will fall for it anyways..

[coldcrush]

hmmmmmm.....

it would seem alot easier to use this rather than bug people all the time!

http://www.skype.com/

[jaapfries]

BANGKOK: -- Mobile operators are warning customers that phone hackers may be trying to hijack their signals through SMS messages asking them to test their phones with a three-digit dialling code.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I truly appreciate the warning and realize again the usefulness of this medium named Thai Visa Expat Forum !

[astral]

What will they think of next.

I hope no-one hijacks this board.

or should that be hi-georges it?

[LivinLOS]

hmmmmmm.....

it would seem alot easier to use this rather than bug people all the time!

http://www.skype.com/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Except getting to use someone elses skype account to call premium numbers (that you collect the proceeds on) is harder then using a mobile account (maybe not actually but you know what I mean)..

[coldcrush]

hmmmmmm.....

it would seem alot easier to use this rather than bug people all the time!

http://www.skype.com/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Except getting to use someone elses skype account to call premium numbers (that you collect the proceeds on) is harder then using a mobile account (maybe not actually but you know what I mean)..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol... yeah well you cant win em all, if you can win anything in this day and age!!!

[caughtintheact]

More information on this is at http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/jailcall.asp and http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/n/ninezeropound.htm

[OliverWard]

Is Thailand so far behind that it has taken SO long for this nonsense to reach there? This scare/storywas doing the rounds when the internet was born.

[whitespider]

Yeah - and try holding a connection on Skype when you need it - total waste of time. Even msn messengers crappy free audio connection holds better and longer

[atulmangalmurti]

it looks strange to me that AIS can not put any filters to screen such messages, avoid reaching to subscribers.

they need to keep themself "advance" as there name indicates. this threat is old about 6 years as told by AIS exe. VP.

are they intend to provide better service or just wish to collect sms charges from hacker?

[spog]

Jeez, I know that the mobile operators here in Thailand are behind the times, but surely they can't have just received this urban legend spam. I remember getting it on fax, before email was popular.

This ONLY worked on American PBX systems (office systems). ONLY on a few systems and ONLY on ones that had been incorrectly set up.

There are not SIM cracks, hacks or magic numbers.

Furthermore, if I got a call from Vodafone, I would be asking them why they are calling a Thai mobile when they are a European company.

If I got a call from Cellnet, I would be asking why they are calling me from 5 years in the past (since that is when Cellnet became O2).

This highlights the stupidity of some of the mobile operators here and helps explains that busy signal I keep getting.

[Khutan]

<snip>There are not SIM cracks, hacks or magic numbers.<snip>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a fuse wire on the "Service Mode" on the chip. When the chip goes out of the factory, the fuse link is gone, therefore no access to "Service Mode"

[stats]

Yeah i got these SMS about the 90# or #90 a couple of times this week...Im using 2 phone...the only phone that got this msg is my Hutch phone...But the AIS phone its ok...

lucky me i ignore the sms.. and delete them..as i do not respond even as my friedns sms me as i got no time in repying//

[spencerdharmagrafix]

Hackers said to try to hijack mobile phones

BANGKOK: -- Mobile operators are warning customers that phone hackers may be trying to hijack their signals through SMS messages asking them to test their phones with a three-digit dialling code.

According to an executive at the top mobile company Advanced Info Service, phone owners should ignore any short-message service text claiming to be from a telephone technician and asking them to dial 90# or #90.

Such warnings surfaced in the United States in 1998, but the technique affected only PABX equipment _ usually in offices _ where users have to dial ''9'' to get an outside line. In such a case, it was theoretically possible for a cracker to gain access and use a hijacked line to make expensive overseas calls, according to Wichien Mektrakarn, executive vice-president for operations of AIS.

''Given the code-like security system standard of mobile handsets and the increasing number of mobile phone users, the mobile phone has emerged as a new target for code hackers,'' he said.

There is no proof that a hacker can actually hijack a mobile phone if he convinces a user to dial the 90# or #90 combination. But cellular company technicians generally advise that: ''Should there be a message over the handset claiming to come from, say, Cellnet or Vodafone representatives checking your phone, and asking you to press #90 or 90# and take the phone off hook,'' ignore it.

''If you follow the suggestion, your phone SIM card will be hacked,'' said one technician. ''Then hackers would be able to make a call through your SIM card serial number, and all expenses will be charged with your phone bill.''

In tests by Bangkok Post staff, 90# opened a SIM connection and #90 did nothing. Neither procedure appeared to open the line to outside interference.

Mr Wichien said that although warnings were spreading about SIM card hacking, there was no reported impact. Still, AIS plans to warn its subscribers.

''What we can do is to warn our customers to not to respond to any alert or unfamiliar message over the handset.''

Third-ranked cellular operator TA Orange is reportedly facing an ''unauthorised free call'' problem of its own.

The hacker community claims TA Orange users can get access to free calls by dialling a certain number through a second phone. TA Orange has blocked the number for Bangkok customers.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-13

Full story on Radio Bangkok at the bottom of every hour:

http://www.radiobangkok.net

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Anyone got the number?

[Sturbuc]

Well, some fraud like this was published years before here in Europe. But actually some try to get your money by giving you just a ring or an SMS to have you calling back an Inmarsat-Number or another "Premium"-Service-Number...