Decrypting phone conversations: Is it easy?

[Roadrunner]

I was just wondering how easy it is for the network providers to decrypt your calls and retrieve the conversations? What needs to be done in order to obtain these recordings by a third party?

I have a friend who is the unsuspecting bottom link in a chain where the managers of the company he works for, have just been charged with corruption. He is worried that some innocent jokes he made in cellphone conversations earlier can be used against him should the company start looking for someone to take the fall.

 

[vincentvanzyl]

well i remember what we used to do, is dial customer care (voda) and hold the call

then dial customer care again and then conference the 2 calls

as soon as the first one disconnects, it used to reconnect to the next random conversation... between 2 completely random users. So i guess its not a matter of decrypting for vodacom only a matter of opening your line and listening in.

 

[Sackboy]

Given all the legal powers, it's possible according to reports.

GSM evesdropping in South Africa blocked

Following yesterday's post on how Vodafone customers in South Africa have been able to dial a code and listen in to other people's cell phone conversation, Vodacom COO, Pieter Uys, told 702 radio yesterday that the eavesdropping problem has been corrected, according to Cellular News.

"In a statement, the company said "On becoming aware of a minor inconsistency in its call centre facility whereby a person could dial a sequence of codes and sometimes be able to listen to segments of random conversations, Vodacom immediately corrected the problem and this is no longer possible."

http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2004/08/005021.htm

Dozens may be listening to your phonecalls
Lee Rondganger
August 20 2004 at 08:45AM

Next time you have a cellphone conversation, be careful what you say - chances are someone could be listening.

This startling discovery was made during a joint investigation by the Pretoria News and Talk Radio 702 on Thursday.

The investigation proved that a person using the Vodacom network can eavesdrop on other people's conversations by dialling a code via the cell company's customer care service.

After dialling the code, the cellphone will randomly track conversations between people on the Vodacom network within a 15km radius.

Shockingly, the people on the other end of the line will not know that their conversations are being listened to. In addition, the eavesdropper is not charged for the call.




This was apparently discovered by schoolchildren who regularly tap into people's conversations during their lunch break.

It was brought to the attention of the Pretoria News and 702 by a person who wants to be identified only as Glen.

"On Tuesday, a youngster whom I know told me to be careful of what I say on the cellphone, because it is easy to tap into calls.

"At first I thought it was an urban legend so I asked him to prove it to me - and he did. I could not believe it and decided to let the media know about it," he said.

Initially, Vodacom spokesperson Ivan Booth denied it was possible.

He said Glen might have been confusing another service offered by Vodacom which is similar to an Internet chatroom, where people can join in on conversations.

When it was proved to Booth that tapping into other calls was possible, he said Vodacom would investigate the problem.

On Thursday, 702 and the Pretoria News were able to tap into the conversations of scores of people.

They ranged from businessmen discussing sensitive deals to a mother talking to her son, and even two people discussing a drug transaction.

Happy Zondi, spokesperson for Cell C - which has a roaming agreement with Vodacom to use their masts - said: "According to our technicians, it is not possible for a person to tap into people's conversations."

No MTN spokesperson could be reached for comment.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=115&art_id=vn20040820064949954C684866

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Unlikley - you need to realise the amount of storage capacity required to record every users conversation is massive. This ain't Hollywood (or the nanny USA either).

But in the unlikely event, a court order is required and the networks would fight this off as not even their senior staff have access to content, only logs.

 

[vincentvanzyl]

Given all the legal powers, it's possible according to reports.

http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2004/08/005021.htm


http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=115&art_id=vn20040820064949954C684866

haha, well i never knew what happened to close the loophole, lol

seems one of us seemed to talk too much hehe, well i didnt know the complications of our actions those days. but yeah we did hear some funny things those days, the obscenities people utter in calls were quite shocking for a 15year old schoolkid to hear, yet we listened

 

[vodacom3g]

I was just wondering how easy it is for the network providers to decrypt your calls and retrieve the conversations? What needs to be done in order to obtain these recordings by a third party?

I have a friend who is the unsuspecting bottom link in a chain where the managers of the company he works for, have just been charged with corruption. He is worried that some innocent jokes he made in cellphone conversations earlier can be used against him should the company start looking for someone to take the fall.

The networks don't record calls but must have the facility available (by law) for law enforcement to record a call ONCE a subpoena has been issued.

Call records (but not the content) is stored as this is effectively your billing information but again this can only be accessed by court order.

So [-]you're[/-] your friend is probably OK.

 

[kris860911]

So [-]you're[/-] your friend is probably OK.

lol

 

[Roadrunner]

lol

I was waiting for that one, but in this case it's REALLY a friend.