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more on SMS Spam Could Disable Cell Networks
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2005 07:46:13 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: Marc <marcaniballi () hotmail com> Date: October 5, 2005 7:17:40 AM EDT To: dave () farber net Subject: RE: [IP] SMS Spam Could Disable Cell Networks DaveIMHO, before this could ever become a real issue, the spammers will have to get past the accounting computers. Unlike email, SMS messages are paid for by the sender - So either the sender will be someone very rich, or they will
be hacking the accounting systems. If they are hacking the accountingsystems, then they will be shut down very quickly simply because the source telco will be experiencing a large transfer bill with no revenue to offset it. Even messages originating from the internet are allocated to a specific
mobile service provider and are billed.Down the road, when the protocol convergence is complete and everyone is on a single protocol for all communications (voice, video, data, gps, mobile,
etc.) we might see the divergence of "SPAM" to all devices - however, hopefully by that time someone will have figured out the solution andimplemented it. I personally like the permission based connectivity option
(like many IM clients) - but the totalitarian regime would work as well (Death penalty for all convicted spammers, and free thinking list serve moderators). We are definitely living in interesting times! Marc -----Original Message----- From: David Farber [mailto:dave () farber net] Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 6:34 AM To: Ip Ip Subject: [IP] SMS Spam Could Disable Cell Networks Text Hackers Could Jam Cellphones, a Paper Says By JOHN SCHWARTZ Published: October 5, 2005 Malicious hackers could take down cellular networks in large cities by inundating their popular text-messaging services with the equivalent of spam, said computer security researchers, who will announce the findings of their research today. Such an attack is possible, the researchers say, because cellphone companies provide the text-messaging service to their networks in a way that could allow an attacker who jams the message system to disable the voice network as well. And because the message services are accessible through the Internet, cellular networks are open to the denial-of-service attacks that occur regularly online, in which computers send so many messages or commands to a target that the rogue data blocks other machines from connecting. <snip> http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/technology/05phone.html ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as marcaniballi () hotmail com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ipArchives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting- people/
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- more on SMS Spam Could Disable Cell Networks David Farber (Oct 05)