IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks

Hamad Alrashede; Riaz Ahmed Shaikh

doi:10.1109/CAIS.2019.8769507

IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks

Hamad Alrashede, Riaz Ahmed Shaikh

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Mobile communications are not trustful as many people think about it. The IMSI catcher device is one of the most effective threats that can compromise the security of mobile communications. It is a radio device that acts as a fake cellular base station allowing near mobiles to join it instead of legitimate base stations. It uses a type of attack called man in the middle (MITM). The IMSI catcher can do almost everything after being connected to its victims, such as eavesdropping calls, intercepting SMS messages, locating phone's location and so many. It is widely used by government agencies legally to track criminals and terrorists, but nowadays it could be used by unauthorized individuals and criminal organizations for different purposes. Several of countermeasures against this threat are proposed by many researchers but most of them are reliant on real base station features to expose fake base stations. Those features are limited and could be easily imitated by IMSI catcher device. This paper presents a new IMSI catcher detection method, which relies on location area features for detection that makes it unique as compared to most of the existing schemes.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019
Publisher	The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
ISBN (Electronic)	9781728101088
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/CAIS.2019.8769507
Publication status	Published - May 2019
Event	2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Duration: 1 May 2019 → 3 May 2019

Publication series

Name	2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019

Conference

Conference	2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019
Country/Territory	Saudi Arabia
City	Riyadh
Period	1/05/19 → 3/05/19

Keywords

Cell site simulator
Fake base station
IMSI catcher
Mobile network security
Mobile privacy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1109/CAIS.2019.8769507

Cite this

Alrashede, H., & Shaikh, R. A. (2019). IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks. In 2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019 [8769507] (2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019). The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). https://doi.org/10.1109/CAIS.2019.8769507

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title = "IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks",

abstract = "Mobile communications are not trustful as many people think about it. The IMSI catcher device is one of the most effective threats that can compromise the security of mobile communications. It is a radio device that acts as a fake cellular base station allowing near mobiles to join it instead of legitimate base stations. It uses a type of attack called man in the middle (MITM). The IMSI catcher can do almost everything after being connected to its victims, such as eavesdropping calls, intercepting SMS messages, locating phone's location and so many. It is widely used by government agencies legally to track criminals and terrorists, but nowadays it could be used by unauthorized individuals and criminal organizations for different purposes. Several of countermeasures against this threat are proposed by many researchers but most of them are reliant on real base station features to expose fake base stations. Those features are limited and could be easily imitated by IMSI catcher device. This paper presents a new IMSI catcher detection method, which relies on location area features for detection that makes it unique as compared to most of the existing schemes.",

keywords = "Cell site simulator, Fake base station, IMSI catcher, Mobile network security, Mobile privacy",

author = "Hamad Alrashede and Shaikh, {Riaz Ahmed}",

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year = "2019",

month = may,

doi = "10.1109/CAIS.2019.8769507",

language = "English",

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Alrashede, H & Shaikh, RA 2019, IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks. in 2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019., 8769507, 2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 1/05/19. https://doi.org/10.1109/CAIS.2019.8769507

IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks. / Alrashede, Hamad; Shaikh, Riaz Ahmed.

2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2019. 8769507 (2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AU - Shaikh, Riaz Ahmed

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N2 - Mobile communications are not trustful as many people think about it. The IMSI catcher device is one of the most effective threats that can compromise the security of mobile communications. It is a radio device that acts as a fake cellular base station allowing near mobiles to join it instead of legitimate base stations. It uses a type of attack called man in the middle (MITM). The IMSI catcher can do almost everything after being connected to its victims, such as eavesdropping calls, intercepting SMS messages, locating phone's location and so many. It is widely used by government agencies legally to track criminals and terrorists, but nowadays it could be used by unauthorized individuals and criminal organizations for different purposes. Several of countermeasures against this threat are proposed by many researchers but most of them are reliant on real base station features to expose fake base stations. Those features are limited and could be easily imitated by IMSI catcher device. This paper presents a new IMSI catcher detection method, which relies on location area features for detection that makes it unique as compared to most of the existing schemes.

AB - Mobile communications are not trustful as many people think about it. The IMSI catcher device is one of the most effective threats that can compromise the security of mobile communications. It is a radio device that acts as a fake cellular base station allowing near mobiles to join it instead of legitimate base stations. It uses a type of attack called man in the middle (MITM). The IMSI catcher can do almost everything after being connected to its victims, such as eavesdropping calls, intercepting SMS messages, locating phone's location and so many. It is widely used by government agencies legally to track criminals and terrorists, but nowadays it could be used by unauthorized individuals and criminal organizations for different purposes. Several of countermeasures against this threat are proposed by many researchers but most of them are reliant on real base station features to expose fake base stations. Those features are limited and could be easily imitated by IMSI catcher device. This paper presents a new IMSI catcher detection method, which relies on location area features for detection that makes it unique as compared to most of the existing schemes.

KW - Cell site simulator

KW - Fake base station

KW - IMSI catcher

KW - Mobile network security

KW - Mobile privacy

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M3 - Conference contribution

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T3 - 2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019

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Alrashede H, Shaikh RA. IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks. In 2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 2019. 8769507. (2nd International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Security, ICCAIS 2019). doi: 10.1109/CAIS.2019.8769507

IMSI Catcher Detection Method for Cellular Networks

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

UN SDGs

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