An investigation by The Times into Britain's biggest firms has revealed "gaping holes" in mobile phone handset security
Tests carried out by The Times at the UK head offices of major blue chip corporates Shell, BP, the HSBC and Goldman Sachs have revealed that many high level executives are using mobile telephones that can be secretly tracked and bugged. According to Times reporter Steve Boggan, 95 of the phones tested were identified as being potentially vulnerable to a form of hacking known as 'bluesnarfing'.

'Bluesnarfing' threatens mobiles that use Bluetooth wireless technology, enabling hackers and data thieves to download text messages and lists of names and numbers from a given individual's address book. Apparently, handsets might even be tampered with on a remote basis so that they can then be deployed as listening devices by would-be criminals or terrorists.

"During our latest experiment, we had the ability to access the phone of a Shell employee supplying aviation fuel to aircraft companies, and bug the handsets of chauffeurs driving executives," commented Boggan. "At the offices of Shell, a passive scan we conducted showed that 19 phones would have accepted an unauthorised Bluetooth connection, although none were actually made so as to avoid any infringement of the Computer Misuse Act."

Of those 19 phones, 13 were Nokia models and five were manufactured by Sony Ericsson. According to Boggan, the Nokia 6310 and 6310i – the most popular business telephones in the UK – and the Sony Ericsson T610 (currently one of the best-selling picture phones) have proven to be the most insecure.

"Outside the Shell building," continued Boggan, "a group of chauffeurs were waiting in seven identical and consecutively numbered Volvos. An attack on any one of their phones would have allowed us to set up a divert to a handset of our choice. We could then have instructed their phones to call us secretly, leaving a channel open through which we might have listened-in on executive's conversations while they were on the move."

Both Nokia and Sony Ericcson are said to be "working hard" at finding suitable solutions.

Source

SMT