Researchers from Penn State University have uncovered critical vulnerabilities in 5G technology that put mobile devices at risk. At the upcoming Black Hat 2024 conference in Las Vegas, they will reveal how attackers can exploit these weaknesses to steal data and launch denial of service (DoS) attacks. These findings highlight a pressing need for improved security measures in 5G networks.
Step 1: Fake Base Station Setup
The first step in the attack involves setting up a fake base station. When a mobile device attempts to connect to a network, it undergoes an authentication and key agreement (AKA) process with the base station. However, while the base station verifies the device, the device does not initially verify the base station. This oversight allows attackers to exploit the system.
Base stations continuously broadcast “sib1” messages to announce their presence. These messages are transmitted in plaintext without any security mechanisms, making it impossible for devices to distinguish between legitimate and fake towers. According to Syed Rafiul Hussain, an assistant professor at Penn State, these messages lack authentication, which is a significant security flaw.
Creating a fake tower is surprisingly easy. Attackers can use a software-defined radio (SDR) to mimic a real base station. Kai Tu, a research assistant at Penn State, notes that SDRs are readily available online for a few hundred dollars. While high-end SDRs can cost tens of thousands of dollars, inexpensive models are sufficient for setting up a fake ba
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