Within the framework of the Communications Monitoring System (CMS) program, communications providers are obliged to provide special services with access to all calls, messages and Internet traffic. At the request of law enforcement officers, they have to transmit any information about their customers: location, call detail and call records.

At a distance of 500 meters, such rogue stations can intercept the signal of a mobile phone, taking the place of the base station of the telecom operator. After the “capture”, attackers can disable encryption for a particular communication session and listen to calls, as well as connect the subscriber to any rogue number. An inexpensive IMSI station costs only $1,400.

In 3G networks, traffic from a mobile device passes through your operator’s cellular communications equipment, which is poorly protected. GSM (also 3G / 4G) encryption is inefficient, not to mention public WiFi, where the threat is even greater. The book of GSM encryption codes has been available free of charge on the Internet since 2009. Having access to the equipment, the hacker can easily decipher the transmitted conversations and messages.

These technical commands (Signaling System No.7, or SS7 for short) are provided in the program of any telephone. This allows using hidden messages (Stels SMS and Silent SMS), as well as special equipment for several hundred dollars to gain control over the phone in the hidden mode.

Such programs are implemented through the installation of hidden applications, if there was physical access to the phone. It is also possible through the update of standard applications from rogue servers or through the distribution of free programs containing viruses.

Besides, hackers can hack Skype and instant messengers, which gives them the opportunity to communicate from the captured accounts on behalf of the owner.

A common SIM card of the phone identifies and tells your service provider your location. Devices detect themselves when making calls, due to the presence of data on the passage of the signal to the nearest cellular base stations. Also, when you access the Internet, even if you turned off the geo-location, some applications and Internet portals can receive your GPS coordinates.

Knowing your location, an attacker determines which devices are nearby and using them can listen to your conversations, as well as conduct video surveillance from the nearest city cameras.