Investigating vulnerabilities in GSM security

The telecommunications industry uses a combination of 2G (GSM), 3G (UMTS) and 4G (LTE) systems to access communication worldwide. Concurrent with a recent rise in cyber-attacks, the requirement for a secure infrastructure is increasingly crucial. However, while each new standard offers better protection to the mobile users, currently 84% of households in the UK have access to 3G signal from the four leading providers. Users are expected to be aware of the possible security threats, however auditing of the existing systems is responsibility of administrators. This paper highlights weaknesses and issues in the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) standard, and presents an informed approach to help audit GSM networks for vulnerabilities.