The Belgian telecom operator Proximus, part of Belgacom, has a weak security against eavesdropping of mobile phone traffic, such as phone calls, text messages and voicemails. This is evident from examination of telefoonhacker Karsten Nohl.
Proximus is between the provider with the worst security against the eavesdropping of phone calls, text messages and voicemails via the gsm network, The New York Times writes on the basis of the not yet presented research of the well-known researcher Karsten Nohl. The German T-Mobile network proved to have the best security.
According to the hacker can Proximus easy and cheap the security boost, thanks to a technique in which a random number is added to the code in any form of communication. Other providers would already apply. The German telefoonhacker seems to be no Dutch providers to have tested.
As far as is known, the hack only covers gsm networks, and not on the more secure umts and hsdpa. Nohl has yet no technical details about the hack published, but in each case, to the communication between the phone and the cell tower at the beginning of communication. What equipment he uses, except for an old telephone that he previously used for a gsm-hack, is unclear.
Hacker Nohl has spent several years involved with cracking the security of gsm networks. According to Nohl, European networks are generally even more secure than some other networks in other parts of the world, such as Africa and Asia. There is, in some cases, no encryption is used.