Cellphone hacking
-
So my sister was at the store and the sales person tried to convince her that a cellphone cannot be hacked. Before I reply, I want to make sure I have this right. A smart phone is like a mini-computer. A computer can be hacked therefore a smart phone can be hacked. A normal (what else do you call them? Dumb?) cellphone can't be hacked. There isn't anything to hack! I'm sure the signal can be intercepted but that's not hacking. This was brought up because there were spam postings to our family group site from my brother who said he's only been using his iPhone for checking email. I don't think someone hacked his cellphone. They hacked his email account. Big difference there. But that's besides the point of my question which was hacking a phone.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
Two truths: Salesmen lie. Cell phones can be hacked. Some are hacked more easily than others and there are some that aren't worth the bother to hack.
It was broke, so I fixed it.
-
What exactly is your question again? I never saw the question mark.
----------------------------- Just along for the ride. -----------------------------
Come to think of it...? I think I was more looking for confirmation that a cellphone can't be hacked from someone unless they are physically attached to it or can get something onto your phone that will allow them access to the software/OS. So my post was incomplete and therefore I wasn't providing all the proper information for what I was looking for. My bust and apologies. :sigh: You'd think being a developer I'd have thought that yes, if something is running software, it can be hacked. But...the hacker has to have 1. access to the software/OS via a cable or 2. some other software on the device opening up a communication port. So a phone can't be hacked by someone unless one of the two previously mentioned senarios are present. So it is possible my brothers iPhone was hacked as well as his email. Most non-smart phones can't do the second but they can the first.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
-
So my sister was at the store and the sales person tried to convince her that a cellphone cannot be hacked. Before I reply, I want to make sure I have this right. A smart phone is like a mini-computer. A computer can be hacked therefore a smart phone can be hacked. A normal (what else do you call them? Dumb?) cellphone can't be hacked. There isn't anything to hack! I'm sure the signal can be intercepted but that's not hacking. This was brought up because there were spam postings to our family group site from my brother who said he's only been using his iPhone for checking email. I don't think someone hacked his cellphone. They hacked his email account. Big difference there. But that's besides the point of my question which was hacking a phone.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
If software is involved it is not safe... You can get it to be audited and marked as safe... but... I don't think they've done that for cell phones... intelligent or not...
[www.tamelectromecanica.com] Robots, CNC and PLC machines for grinding and polishing.
-
So my sister was at the store and the sales person tried to convince her that a cellphone cannot be hacked. Before I reply, I want to make sure I have this right. A smart phone is like a mini-computer. A computer can be hacked therefore a smart phone can be hacked. A normal (what else do you call them? Dumb?) cellphone can't be hacked. There isn't anything to hack! I'm sure the signal can be intercepted but that's not hacking. This was brought up because there were spam postings to our family group site from my brother who said he's only been using his iPhone for checking email. I don't think someone hacked his cellphone. They hacked his email account. Big difference there. But that's besides the point of my question which was hacking a phone.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
Besides e-mails, contact list, address book...etc, grabbing photos / videos off compromised phones can be embarrassing too [^] :-O (sometimes using the bluetooth connection)
Steve _________________ I C(++) therefore I am
-
So my sister was at the store and the sales person tried to convince her that a cellphone cannot be hacked. Before I reply, I want to make sure I have this right. A smart phone is like a mini-computer. A computer can be hacked therefore a smart phone can be hacked. A normal (what else do you call them? Dumb?) cellphone can't be hacked. There isn't anything to hack! I'm sure the signal can be intercepted but that's not hacking. This was brought up because there were spam postings to our family group site from my brother who said he's only been using his iPhone for checking email. I don't think someone hacked his cellphone. They hacked his email account. Big difference there. But that's besides the point of my question which was hacking a phone.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
-
So my sister was at the store and the sales person tried to convince her that a cellphone cannot be hacked. Before I reply, I want to make sure I have this right. A smart phone is like a mini-computer. A computer can be hacked therefore a smart phone can be hacked. A normal (what else do you call them? Dumb?) cellphone can't be hacked. There isn't anything to hack! I'm sure the signal can be intercepted but that's not hacking. This was brought up because there were spam postings to our family group site from my brother who said he's only been using his iPhone for checking email. I don't think someone hacked his cellphone. They hacked his email account. Big difference there. But that's besides the point of my question which was hacking a phone.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
Even dumb phones can be attacked. A year or two back I read something about a mal-formed SMS attack that was able to defacto brick lots of different models. IIRC the phones message parsers puked before acking the message to the tower and kept redownloading and bombing every time it was restarted.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
-
Come to think of it...? I think I was more looking for confirmation that a cellphone can't be hacked from someone unless they are physically attached to it or can get something onto your phone that will allow them access to the software/OS. So my post was incomplete and therefore I wasn't providing all the proper information for what I was looking for. My bust and apologies. :sigh: You'd think being a developer I'd have thought that yes, if something is running software, it can be hacked. But...the hacker has to have 1. access to the software/OS via a cable or 2. some other software on the device opening up a communication port. So a phone can't be hacked by someone unless one of the two previously mentioned senarios are present. So it is possible my brothers iPhone was hacked as well as his email. Most non-smart phones can't do the second but they can the first.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
the most common way to hack a phone would be rogue code in an app that you downloaded. For example, I know from personal experience(as an Android developer) that I could write any app, say a card game, and bury code in it that would read every incoming and outgoing message that phone handles and message a copy of that to any number I specify. You as the user would not know it was being done for at least a month until you got your bill with the messages on it. and if you have unlimited text messaging(a lot do) then its likely you might not notice then. While that scenario is not a true hack as such, it gives you the idea of what can be done.
Programming is a race between programmers trying to build bigger and better idiot proof programs, and the universe trying to build bigger and better idiots, so far... the universe is winning. A crisis on your part does not constitute one on mine.
-
If it uses electricity, it can be hacked.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
-
So my sister was at the store and the sales person tried to convince her that a cellphone cannot be hacked. Before I reply, I want to make sure I have this right. A smart phone is like a mini-computer. A computer can be hacked therefore a smart phone can be hacked. A normal (what else do you call them? Dumb?) cellphone can't be hacked. There isn't anything to hack! I'm sure the signal can be intercepted but that's not hacking. This was brought up because there were spam postings to our family group site from my brother who said he's only been using his iPhone for checking email. I don't think someone hacked his cellphone. They hacked his email account. Big difference there. But that's besides the point of my question which was hacking a phone.
If you know what I mean...and I think you do...
I work in the embedded systems/hardware area (see my profile) and yes, phones can be hacked. However, it is VERY device specific etc.
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
If it uses electricity, it can be hacked.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
I would like to see how you could hack a battery and an LED. ;)
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
I would like to see how you could hack a battery and an LED. ;)
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
Isn't circuit bending technically a hardware hack? Instead of just remaining on, you can make the LED blink using a timer, react to sounds and other input, etc.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
-
Isn't circuit bending technically a hardware hack? Instead of just remaining on, you can make the LED blink using a timer, react to sounds and other input, etc.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
wizardzz wrote:
Instead of just remaining on, you can make the LED blink using a timer, react to sounds and other input, etc.
Correct, but this is just electronics, not hacking. ;P
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
wizardzz wrote:
Instead of just remaining on, you can make the LED blink using a timer, react to sounds and other input, etc.
Correct, but this is just electronics, not hacking. ;P
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
Then any hardware hack is going to be "just electronics" then.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
wizardzz wrote:
Then any hardware hack is going to be "just electronics" then.
Not always, for example, I would class modifying the code in a microcontroller (for example) a hack (mainly if it was one you did not program yourself).
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
wizardzz wrote:
Then any hardware hack is going to be "just electronics" then.
Not always, for example, I would class modifying the code in a microcontroller (for example) a hack (mainly if it was one you did not program yourself).
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
Wouldn't that technically be a software hack?
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
Technically I suppose it would :) Now I think about it, modifiying/replacing something on a circuit board would be more of a hardware hack.
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
Technically I suppose it would :) Now I think about it, modifiying/replacing something on a circuit board would be more of a hardware hack.
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
Could those 2 things be a battery and an LED possibly? ;) I thought of a battery/LED hack btw.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
wizardzz wrote:
I thought of a battery/LED hack btw.
Go on? :)
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
wizardzz wrote:
I thought of a battery/LED hack btw.
Go on? :)
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-
One could fill up the inside of an LED with Acetylene and use it as an ignition device for something much more malicious.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
Good luck with that! It would be a lot of effort to get inside the LED, especially as there is little space inside the LED anyway.
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."