GSM communications use a proprietary encryption algorithm known as A5. A5 is known to be ineffective, it has been heavily crippled due to various export controls enforced by NATO and the United States.
As a direct result, secure GSM communication without third party encryption is impossible, and anyone with a well-equipped notebook computer / antenna is able to listen in to GSM communications.
Two hundred lines of code were all it took for an Israeli scientist named Elad Barkan to break A5 encryption. Because of this, secure communications are impossible and to help prevent GSM snooping it is recommended that corporations consider third-party GSM security when thinking about data policies.
3G has brought additional security features into the equation, but backdoors and loopholes make it a dubious solution for classified information.
It seems that in the long term, GSM security will remain flawed. This only puts an onus on corporations and individuals to encrypt their communication using third party products.
Surprisingly though, GSM security is often over-looked due to the fact many people still believe that all GSM communications are secure. The truth is that the technology is freely available, and anyone experienced enough can easily construct a GSM interceptor.
The fact of the matter is that GSM will always remain vulnerable to attacks from interceptors and even directly at base stations. Corporations that fail to utilize appropriate security measures will be vulnerable to attack as long as they fail to adopt appropriate security policies such as using GSM voice encryption software.
GSM is an outdated technology. Since its inception, there have been numerous developments in more secure technologies but still GSM remains dominant due to government pressure to try to ensure that cellular communications will always be vulnerable to attacks.
Secure GSM communications are realistic, economical and easy to use. By integrating software such as Gold Lock Enterprise, you can effectively turn any cell phone into a military-grade secure communications platform.
