The Threat of GSM Vulnerability

In past years the imminent threat to our country that stems from improper use of the technology that we implement has multiplied exponentially. Automated systems and remotely activated control systems have been exploited in various facets of day to day life that we have not even been made aware of. They are used by power companies to maintain continuity and power output, traffic systems to regulate traffic, security systems of automobiles, and are also engaged in a wide array of other systems that serve and protect people. These systems are obviously the product of cost conservation and a potential means to operate without human error. The automations, while in some cases being necessary, also harbor an inherit possibility of being remotely controlled by unauthorized users. Those users and hacking groups often employ people with mediocre knowledge of computer software and still this unauthorized remote access is possible. Our national power grid is divided into three main sectors and regulated by remotely accessed control centers manufactured by Siemens, IBM and other large software/security companies. While these three sectors can operate semi-independently, they are all operated by the aforementioned controllers. Siemens controllers exhibited a severe lack of integrity in Iran when a nuclear power plants regulating systems were breached by unauthorized users allegedly operating under the group name stuxnet. The Siemens system was hacked and modified to disable the entire facility. That incident raised security questions with the manufacturers of the control systems used. As a result of the investigation (prompted primarily by worldwide coverage) Siemens issued and implemented multiple fixes to their system. The threat however is not rooted in the actual controller but rather the medium in which it is controlled. In the years since this incident that medium has been used as a means for other countries (namely China and Russia) to breach the security of our national power grid to monitor it. The motivation behind these violations is still unclear to the general public. The principal flaw in the way these controllers and automated systems operate is that they are operated remotely from a vast array of sources all working on the GSM (the Global System for Mobile communications). This system has as many security holes as swiss cheese and has been updated in recent years to the effect of having slightly less flaws. It is possible for any considerably motivated and knowledgeable teen to exploit these flaws by cracking a single administrator password. Once they identify the SIM of the administrator and identify the password used they could potentially have access to our power grid, and our traffic control systems. In addition due to the hastened production of nonsecure vehicle access these individuals could even go so far as to unlock your car and engage the ignition system. We as a society have come to rely on these remotely controlled, automated systems to govern many facets of operation in our lives. In doing so we have neglected the keystone in which these systems were initially built upon, that keystone being the safety of our country. The pertinent lack of security has invited common vandals to wreak havoc on our day to day life if they were inclined to do so.