MOBILE PHONE CLONING

Are your mobile phone bills unexpectedly high !here"s # ch#nce you #re the $ictim
o% &&mobile cloning""' It is #lso (no)n #s cell phone pir#cy #nd h#s been t#(ing pl#ce
throughout the )orld since dec#des' *ecently this crime h#s come to Indi#'
Mobile phones h#$e become # m#+or p#rt o% our e$eryd#y li%e' On the one h#nd,
Indi#"s mobile phone m#r(et h#s gro)n r#pidly in the l#st %e) ye#rs on the b#c( o%
%#lling phone t#ri%%s #nd h#ndset prices, m#(ing it one o% the %#stest gro)ing m#r(ets
glob#lly' On the other the number o% mobile phone subscribers is exceeding th#t o%
%ixed-line users' !he mobile phone subscriber b#se h#s #lre#dy crossed the ./-mn
m#r('
!od#y millions o% mobile phones users, be it Glob#l 0ystem %or Mobile
communic#tion 1G0M2 or Code 3i$ision Multiple Access 1C3MA2, run the ris( o%
h#$ing their phones cloned' And the )orst p#rt is th#t there isn"t much th#t you c#n do
to pre$ent this'
0uch crime %irst c#me to light in 4#nu#ry 5//. )hen the 3elhi police #rrested # person
)ith 5/ cell phones, # l#ptop, # 0IM sc#nner, #nd # )riter' !he #ccused )#s running
#n exch#nge illeg#lly )herein he cloned C3MA-b#sed mobile phones' He used
so%t)#re %or the cloning #nd pro$ided che#p intern#tion#l c#lls to Indi#n immigr#nts
in 6est Asi#' A simil#r r#c(et c#me to light in Mumb#i resulting in the #rrest o% %our
mobile de#lers
Introduction
6hile mobile cloning is #n emerging thre#t %or Indi#n subscribers, it h#s been
h#ppening in other telecom m#r(ets since the 788/s, though mostly )ith reg#rd to
C3MA phones' Ple#s in #n 90 3istrict Court in 788: e%%ecti$ely ended 6est !ex#s
#uthorities; %irst c#se o% <phone cloning'; Authorities in the c#se estim#ted the loss #t
=>,/// to =?,/// %or e#ch number used' 0outh)estern Bell cl#ims )ireless %r#ud costs
the industry =@./ million e#ch ye#r in the 90' 0ome %eder#l #gents in the 90 h#$e
c#lled phone cloning #n especi#lly <popul#r; crime bec#use it is h#rd to tr#ce' B#c(
home, police o%%icers s#y the A#sin c#se is +ust the tip o% the iceberg #nd h#$e #s(ed
oper#tors to impro$e their technology' But the oper#tors cl#im they c#n;t do much %or
no)' BIt;s li(e ste#ling c#rs or duplic#ting credit c#rd numbers' !he ser$ice pro$iders
c#nnot do much except (eep tr#c( o% the billing p#ttern o% the users' But since the
billing cycle is monthly, the d#m#ge is done by the time )e c#n detect the mischie%,B
s#ys # *eli#nce executi$e'
Cu#lcomm, )hich de$elops C3MA technology glob#lly, s#ys e#ch inst#nce o% mobile
h#c(ing is di%%erent #nd there%ore there is $ery little #n oper#tor c#n do to pre$ent
h#c(ing' BIt;s li(e # $irus hitting the computer' E#ch so%t)#re used to h#c( into the
net)or( is di%%erent, so oper#tors c#n only (eep upgr#ding their security %ire)#ll #s
#nd )hen the h#c(ers stri(e,B s#ys # Cu#lcomm executi$e'
What is mobile phone cloning?
6hen )e loo( up the diction#ry me#ning o% cloning it st#tes, D to cre#te the ex#ct
replic# or # mirror im#ge o% #n sub+ect understudy' !he sub+ect c#n be #ny thing li$ing
or non-li$ing so here )e t#(e into consider#tion the cellul#r or mobile phones' 0o
Mobile cloning is copying the identity o% one mobile telephone to #nother mobile
telephone' E$ery electronic de$ice h#s # )or(ing %reEuency, )hich pl#ys # cruci#l
role in its oper#tion this )e sh#ll discuss l#ter' No) the Euestion th#t #rises is ho) is #
mobile phone cloned' I sh#ll be discussing this in det#il, bec#use it is # $ery complex
procedure in )hich )e h#$e to be %#mili#r )ith the %ollo)ing terms'
What are GSM and CDMS mobile phone sets?
C3MA is one o% the ne)er digit#l technologies used in C#n#d#, the 90, Austr#li#, #nd
some 0outh-e#stern Asi#n countries 1e'g' Hong Fong #nd 0outh Fore#2' C3MA
di%%ers %rom G0M #nd !3MA 1!ime 3i$ision Multiple Access2 by its use o% spre#d
spectrum techniEues %or tr#nsmitting $oice or d#t# o$er the #ir' *#ther th#n di$iding
the r#dio %reEuency spectrum into sep#r#te user ch#nnels by %reEuency slices or time
slots, spre#d spectrum technology sep#r#tes users by #ssigning them digit#l codes
)ithin the s#me bro#d spectrum' Ad$#nt#ges o% C3MA include higher user c#p#city
#nd immunity %rom inter%erence by other sign#ls'
G0M is # digit#l mobile telephone system th#t is )idely used in Europe #nd other
p#rts o% the )orld' G0M uses # $#ri#tion o% !3MA #nd is the most )idely used o% the
three digit#l )ireless telephone technologies' G0M digitiGes #nd compresses d#t#,
then sends it do)n # ch#nnel )ith t)o other stre#ms o% user d#t#, e#ch in its o)n time
slot' It oper#tes #t either the 8// MHG or 7,H// MHG %reEuency b#nd'
0ome other import#nt terms )hose (no)ledge is necess#ry #re
72 IMEI
52 0IM
>2 E0N
?2 MIN
0o, %irst things %irst, the IMEI is #n #bbre$i#tion %or Intern#tion#l Mobile EEuipment
Identi%ier, this is # 7/ digit uni$ers#lly uniEue number o% our G0M h#ndset' I use the
term 9ni$ers#lly 9niEue bec#use there c#nnot be 5 mobile phones h#$ing the s#me
IMEI no' !his is # $ery $#lu#ble number #nd used in tr#c(ing mobile phones'
0econd comes 0IM, )hich st#nds %or 0ubscriber Identi%ic#tion Module' !he sim h#s
sur$i$ed #nd e$ol$ed' E#rlier the mobiles h#d the entire sim c#rd to be
inserted in them such sim"s
Are c#lled I3G-7 0ims' !he other in )hich )e sm#ll p#rt o% the c#rd )hich h#s the
chip is inserted in the mobile #nd is (no)n #s PL9G-IN 0ims'
B#sic#lly the 0IM pro$ides stor#ge o% subscriber rel#ted in%orm#tion o% three typesI
7' Jixed d#t# stored be%ore the subscription is sold
5' !empor#ry net)or( d#t#
>' 0er$ice rel#ted d#t#'

Next is the E0N, )hich st#nds %or Electronic 0eri#l Number' It is s#me #s the IMEI
but is used in C3MA h#ndsets' MIN st#nds %or Mobile Identi%ic#tion Number, )hich
is the s#me #s the 0IM o% G0M'
!he b#sic di%%erence bet)een # C3MA h#ndset #nd # G0M h#ndset is th#t # C3MA
h#ndset h#s no sim i'e' the C3MA h#ndset uses MIN #s its 0im, )hich c#nnot be
repl#ced #s in G0M' !he MIN chip is embedded in the C3MA h#nd set'
No) th#t )e #re %#mili#riGed oursel$es in these terms let us #ddress the next Euestion'
How is a phone cloned?
Cellul#r thie$es c#n c#pture E0NKMINs using de$ices such #s cell phone E0N re#der
or digit#l d#t# interpreters 133I2' 33Is #re de$ices speci#lly m#nu%#ctured to
intercept E0NKMINs' By simply sitting ne#r busy ro#ds )here the $olume o% cellul#r
tr#%%ic is high, cellul#r thie$es monitoring the r#dio )#$e tr#nsmissions %rom the cell
phones o% legitim#te subscribers c#n c#pture E0NKMIN p#ir' Numbers c#n be recorded
by h#nd, one-by-one, or stored in the box #nd l#ter do)nlo#ded to # computer'
E0NKMIN re#ders c#n #lso be used %rom inside #n o%%ender"s home, o%%ice, or hotel
room, incre#sing the di%%iculty o% detection'
!he E0NKMIN p#ir c#n be cloned in # number o% )#ys )ithout the (no)ledge o% the
c#rrier or subscriber through the use o% electronic sc#nning de$ices' A%ter the
E0NKMIN p#ir is c#ptured, the cloner reprogr#ms or #lters the microchip o% #ny
)ireless phone to cre#te # clone o% the )ireless phone %rom )hich the E0NKMIN p#ir
)#s stolen' !he entire progr#mming process t#(es 7/-7. minutes per phone' Any c#ll
m#de )ith cloned phone #re billed to #nd tr#ced to # legitim#te phone #ccount'
Innocent citiGens end up )ith unexpl#ined monthly phone bills' !o reprogr#m #
phone, the E0NKMINs #re tr#ns%erred using # computer lo#ded )ith speci#liGed
so%t)#re, or # Dcopyc#tL box, # de$ice )hose sole purpose is to clone phones' !he
de$ices #re connected to the cellul#r h#ndsets #nd the ne) identi%ying in%orm#tion is
entered into the phone' !here #re #lso more discreet, conce#l#ble de$ices used to
clone cellul#r phones' Plugs #nd E0-Pros, )hich #re #bout the siGe o% # p#ger or sm#ll
c#lcul#tor, do not reEuire computers or copyc#t boxes %or cloning' !he entire
progr#mming process t#(es ten-7. minutes per phone'
Do GSM sets run the risk of cloning?
Loo(ing #t the recent c#se, it is Euite possible to clone both G0M #nd C3MA sets'
!he #ccused in the 3elhi c#se used so%t)#re c#lled P#t#goni# to clone only C3MA
phones 1*eli#nce #nd !#t# Indicom2' Ho)e$er, there #re so%t)#re p#c(#ges th#t c#n
be used to clone e$en G0M phones 1e'g' Airtel, B0NL, Hutch, Ide#2' In order to clone
# G0M phone, (no)ledge o% the Intern#tion#l Mobile EEuipment Identity 1IMEI2 or
instrument number is su%%icient'
But the G0M-b#sed oper#tors m#int#in th#t the %r#ud is h#ppening on C3MA, %or
no), #nd so their subscribers )ouldn;t need to )orry' Oper#tors in other countries
h#$e deployed $#rious technologies to t#c(le this men#ce' !hey #reI -
72 !here;s the duplic#te detection method )here the net)or( sees the s#me phone in
se$er#l pl#ces #t the s#me time' *e#ctions include shutting them #ll o%%, so th#t the
re#l customer )ill cont#ct the oper#tor bec#use he h#s lost the ser$ice he is p#ying %or'
52 Melocity tr#p is #nother test to chec( the situ#tion, )hereby the mobile phone seems
to be mo$ing #t impossible, or most unli(ely speeds' Jor ex#mple, i% # c#ll is %irst
m#de in 3elhi, #nd %i$e minutes l#ter, #nother c#ll is m#de but this time in Chenn#i,
there must be t)o phones )ith the s#me identity on the net)or('
>2 0ome oper#tors #lso use *#dio JreEuency %ingerprinting, origin#lly # milit#ry
technology' E$en identic#l r#dio eEuipment h#s # distinguishing <%ingerprint;, so the
net)or( so%t)#re stores #nd comp#res %ingerprints %or #ll the phones th#t it sees' !his
)#y, it )ill spot the clones )ith the s#me identity, but di%%erent %ingerprints'
?2 9s#ge pro%iling is #nother )#y )herein pro%iles o% customers; phone us#ge #re
(ept, #nd )hen discrep#ncies #re noticed, the customer is cont#cted' Jor ex#mple, i% #
customer norm#lly m#(es only loc#l net)or( c#lls but is suddenly pl#cing c#lls to
%oreign countries %or hours o% #irtime, it indic#tes # possible clone'
Impact of cloning
E#ch ye#r, the mobile phone industry loses millions o% doll#rs in re$enue bec#use o%
the crimin#l #ctions o% persons )ho #re #ble to recon%igure mobile phones so th#t their
c#lls #re billed to other phones o)ned by innocent third persons' O%ten these cloned
phones #re used to pl#ce hundreds o% c#lls, o%ten long dist#nce, e$en to %oreign
countries, resulting in thous#nds o% doll#rs in #irtime #nd long dist#nce ch#rges'
Cellul#r telephone comp#nies do not reEuire their customers to p#y %or #ny ch#rges
illeg#lly m#de to their #ccount, no m#tter ho) gre#t the cost' But some portion o% the
cost o% these illeg#l telephone c#lls is p#ssed #long to cellul#r telephone consumers #s
# )hole'
M#ny crimin#ls use cloned cellul#r telephones %or illeg#l #cti$ities, bec#use their c#lls
#re not billed to them, #nd #re there%ore much more di%%icult to tr#ce'
His phenomenon is especi#lly pre$#lent in drug crimes' 3rug de#lers need to be in
const#nt cont#ct )ith their sources o% supply #nd their con%eder#tes on the streets'
!r#%%ic(ers #cEuire cloned phones #t # minimum cost, m#(e doGens o% c#lls, #nd then
thro) the phone #)#y #%ter #s little #s # d#ys; use' In the s#me )#y, crimin#ls )ho
pose # thre#t to our n#tion#l security, such #s terrorists, h#$e been (no)n to use
cloned phones to th)#rt l#) en%orcement e%%orts #imed #t tr#c(ing their )here#bouts'
Solution to this problem
Cloning, #s the crime br#nch detecti$es di$ulge, st#rts )hen some one, )or(ing %or #
mobile phone ser$ice pro$ider, #grees to sell the security numbers to gr#y m#r(et
oper#tors' E$ery mobile h#ndset h#s # uniEue %#ctory-coded electronic seri#l number
#nd # mobile identi%ic#tion number' !he buyer c#n then progr#m these security
numbers into ne) h#ndsets'
!he onus to chec( the misuse o% mobile cloning phenomenon %#lls on the subscriber
himsel%' !he subscribers, #ccording to the o%%ici#ls, should be on the #lert #nd in%orm
the police on suspecting #ny %oul pl#y' It )ould be #d$is#ble %or them to #s( %or the
list o% outgoing c#lls, #s soon #s they re#liGe th#t they;$e been o$erch#rged'
Me#n)hile, the crime br#nch is hope%ul to %ind out #)#y to stop the mobile cloning
phenomenon'
Jor ex#mple
!he Centr#l Jorensic L#bor#tory #t Hyder#b#d h#s reportedly de$eloped so%t)#re th#t
)ould detect cloned mobile phones' C#lled the Speaker Identification !echni"ue,
the so%t)#re en#bles one to recogniGe the $oice o% # person by #coustics #n#lysis'
!hese methods #re only good #t detecting cloning, not pre$enting d#m#ge' A better
solution is
to #dd #uthentic#tion to the system' But this me#ns upgr#ding the so%t)#re o% the
oper#tors; net)or(, #nd rene)ing the 0IM-c#rds, )hich is not #n e#sy or # che#p t#s('
!his initi#ti$e by the Jorensic L#bor#tory h#d to be t#(en up in the )#(e o% more #nd
more reports o% misuse o% cloned mobiles'

How can organi#ations help themsel$es?
Mobiles should ne$er be trusted %or communic#tingKstoring con%identi#l
in%orm#tion'
Al)#ys set # Pin th#t;s reEuired be%ore the phone c#n be used'
Chec( th#t #ll mobile de$ices #re co$ered by # corpor#te security policy'
Ensure one person is responsible %or (eeping t#bs on )ho h#s )h#t eEuipment
#nd th#t they upd#te the centr#l register'
0uch pre$enti$e me#sures #re our only de%ense till )e get # )#y or # techniEue to
pre$ent cloning o% mobile phones'
%eferences&'

72 IEEE +ourn#l %or mobile communic#tion
52 0cience tod#y m#gGine
>2 Mobile cloning *eli#nce report
?2 *eport on Mobile Cloning B0NL
.2 Mobile communic#tion Go$t O% Indi# reports
@2 Mobile phone cloning Indi#times ne)s net)or(
:2 C3MA cloning Cu#lcomm reports
H2 0IM cloning !echnic#lIn%o'com
82 Mobile cloning mobiledi#'com