[IP] more on SMS Spam Could Disable Cell Networks

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

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


Dave

IMHO, 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 accounting
systems, 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 and
implemented 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



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