subject: How Secure Is A Mobile Phone Network? [print this page] In the modern day it seems that is rare to find someone that does not own their own mobile phone, and when you consider the benefits to having one its hardly surprising. The user can move freely while using a mobile, (so long as they dont hit a black hole for signal), and can send messages and pictures from anywhere that they still receive signal from their network provider. Modern mobiles also have an extensive range of functions and features that simply arent available on home phone models, this might include games, music, and even video messaging. Smartphones have brought further potential to the mobile phone - users can log on to the Internet via Wi-Fi and check their emails, social networking sites, or online banking. Although there is no doubt that this versatility is liberating it seems that few people consider the fact that such a powerful tool can be abused.
Ever since the birth of the first telephone in 1876 there has always been a risk of fraud. Nowadays, despite the fact that we are more technologically advanced than ever before, it seems that the risk of being hacked is higher than ever, as the systems become increasingly complex there are more and more gaps for hackers. With VoIP phones now allowing people to carry out their communications online, security is becoming increasingly slack as the Internet can be accessed by anyone from virtually anywhere in the world. In an attempt to counteract these security issues, a number of companies now use encryption systems or high frequency radio signals, which cannot be detected by others, for their cordless phones.
However, despite these preventative measures being taken to increase security for Internet connections the fact still remains that the users are vulnerable to hackers, this is true of mobile phone networks too. The recent scandal related to Clive Goodman from News of the World has served to prove this point, and brought to everyones attention the security issues involved with using mobile networks. As this scandal has been pushed to the forefront of the media it seems that no one using a mobile is completely safe from being hacked, although some people will be more likely to be targeted.
It is disconcerting just how easy it can be for someone to hack mobile networks. It is a straightforward task that involves making use of telecom software and VoIP to trace the caller ID. In addition to this there are even online services that have similar capabilities and can be used by even a novice hacker. This issue of security has been furthered by the introduction of smartphones, as the use of apps has prompted the introduction of the Carrier IQ - technology that has the ability to track everything that the user does.
