S60 - killer SMS - Nokia exploit

[Undertaker]

It's being reported that if you send a specially crafted sms to a s60 phone it can stop all incoming text messages,

By using a specially crafted SMS message, you can block the recipient from getting any future SMS messages. The attacker changes their Protocol Identifier to “Internet Electronic Mail” and then uses any email address 32 characters or more in their message. The recipient will receive no indication that they got the message and no other messages will be allowed until the phone is factory reset.

some more info
http://www.heise-online.co.uk/news/2...biles--/112335



you guys got any enemies? hehehe

[Sanj[UK]]

I thought this only works if the phones are on a certain firmwire?

[iNSPECTA]

Apparently it effects all s60 phones, some need one message to be hit, some need a couple to be hit.

[Mobileman]

Its a certain version of symbian, newwer versions like N85, N96, N79 are not effected will dig out the actual version

[beerman]

Its a certain version of symbian, newwer versions like N85, N96, N79 are not effected will dig out the actual version

versions 2.6 to 3.1

My N82 is effected I might have to get Fsecure running on it now as that makes it immune. I hope nokia sort this out and release a patch in the form of a .sis file and not a firmware upgrade. I've got my phone running just the way I like it and it'll be a bitch to start again with it, especially as I don't think the newer firmware can be hacked.

[Mobileman]

versions 2.6 to 3.1

My N82 is effected I might have to get Fsecure running on it now as that makes it immune. I hope nokia sort this out and release a patch in the form of a .sis file and not a firmware upgrade. I've got my phone running just the way I like it and it'll be a bitch to start again with it, especially as I don't think the newer firmware can be hacked.

I'll have a look throught the tech files on Monday and see what your options are bud, i suspect it will be a firmware upgrade

[beerman]

A renowned dutch IT-news site, www.tweakers.net, reports in dutch that Nokia wants providers to block sms messages containing e-mail adresses that are to long. After receiving such a message S60 2.6, 2.8, 3.0 and 3.1 devices are not able to receive other SMS or MMS messages anymore until a full factory reset that clears all phone data is performed.

According to tweakers.net. Nokia does not wish to disclose with which providers it is talking to implement this filtering, but they state that Nokia said that the providers they spoke were happy to cooperate. T-mobile in the Netherlands is reported to be already filtering messages. Though Nokia is reported to be looking in the possibility to solve the bug through a firmware update, Mark Durant of the Nokia head office in Finland has stated to tweakers.net: "That it is not an effective solution. Many users do upgrade their firmware, but many do not."

No doubt a firmware upgrades for the most current phone models will be released at some point. But wether there will be a firmware fix for older models remains still to be seen as well as what are considered older models.

In the U.S.A. the number of monthly sms has topped the number of mobile phone calls. With similar developments in other countries the importance for a mobile user to receiving an sms has increased significantly over the years.

A happy and healty new year to all of you,

Dirk Snoyt

Looks like Nokia are on the case but I can see them pissing off a few mobile operators