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Manufacturers, Developers and Device Privacy

April 25, 2012January 8, 2019mobilephonesecurity936843331Leave a comment

I‘m involved in the IAPP’s privacy event this afternoon, talking in the session: “Is There an App for That? Privacy in Social, Local and Mobile Services” with a view from mobile manufacturers and developers. Here is my talk and some ideas about how some of the current problems can be solved. I’d be interested in your views:

“Privacy isn’t something that mobile manufacturers have had to get involved with. Beyond a basic device PIN lock, the furthest some manufacturers got ten years ago was to put PIN protection on mailboxes.”

These days, it is often a question of what does the manufacturer own? The hardware? The access control of the device? there are a vast amount of stakeholders in the mobile industry and it is difficult to see who has responsibility. When something goes wrong, the blame often goes all over the place. The manufacturer often doesn’t have control over the operating system these days, but they do have control over security in the hardware, including features such as trusted secure storage and trusted execution which can be opened up via APIs (interfaces) to the operating system and applications above that. This means that privacy sensitive information such as credentials could be stored in what is in effect a safe on the device. Other features such as full-device encryption give peace of mind if a device is stolen, but there are more fundamental things that are not fixed in some devices such as also locking down USB ports when the key-lock is in use. Often this comes down to individual engineers and it is important to note that privacy does not feature in software engineering syllabuses and there is still a problem in educating future engineers including a lack of mandatory security components.

As manufacturers, information sharing and disclosure of security vulnerabilities, particularly where there are privacy implications, should be encouraged and improved. This is an area that is still lacking in industry.

The device is our life-diary. We must all acknowledge that there are situations where the Police need to intervene and legally get access to data on devices whether the owner is the perpetrator of crime or a victim. The evidence aspect of mobile phones is incredibly important and the discipline of mobile device forensics is still emerging and developing. These needs are clearly counter to the needs of everyday security and privacy and this highlights the complexity of context, for as a user who then becomes a victim, the privacy need then turns into a need to disclose.

Developers

“just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” is probably the most important point when it comes to developing new services that involve the user. We have the capabilities in technology now to do almost anything. Proportionate and responsible usage by companies is a moral responsibility that is sometimes negated by the desire to make money. This is something that self-regulation is never going to be able to solve. Public exposure and the risk of public exposure by hacktivists or the media is what seems to be driving the protection of privacy rather than a genuine desire to be responsible in the majority of cases.

Users don’t necessarily realise that their data is being misused, because they can’t see it. This could be through profiling tools and so on. When these things become publicly exposed, such as with the Carrier IQ issue in 2011, users immediately reject the service in the most extreme ways without really realising what is going on or if indeed, the service did in fact breach their privacy. Some developers don’t know that the services they’re including in their apps breach their users’ privacy (e.g. advertising etc).

Some short points now on problems and solutions for manufacturers, developers and users of mobile devices around privacy:

Problems with privacy

· Technically, we don’t have the screen real estate on mobile devices to display privacy policies and besides, no-one ever reads them anyway. This is a huge issue that has not been adequately addressed (the proposed Mozilla privacy icons are interesting..) User experience is mostly – accept these privacy settings (or permissions) or don’t use the application. This is not really acceptable. Human behaviour… Your user wants their privacy protected but is quite happy to breach others’ Privacy is contextual and often the privacy need is after the event. Here are some very brief (but extreme) examples:

1. A user who is very open and has no privacy concerns has their social media settings set such that all their photos are available. They are murdered in unrelated events. Media across the country descend on the open site and use the images in reports, to the extreme distress of the family of the victim.

2. A newspaper finds out that a woman has slept with a well-known celebrity. They leverage the woman through her connections on a social networking site and essentially force her to “tell her side of the story”.

3. Employees working for a company are involved in a labour dispute. There is a division between union members and “loyalist”staff. Friends become enemies overnight without realising it. The context of privacy has changed significantly. Postings that were previously posted in a private environment are printed off and taken to management. The company takes advantag
e of the situation and goes further, even to the extent that they search for profile updates and public data on social media sites to identify “troublemakers” and discipline them.

4. A child is befriended by another child through a social application because they both like the same band. Location data and lots of private information including pictures are happily shared, but only privately. The 2^nd child is in fact an adult who has initially used the public information about the child’s interests in order to groom them.

Some solutions for operating system vendors and developers

· Architecture of device operating systems needs to change – current mechanisms are more advanced than before (e.g. view privileges) but need to go to the next level. One possibility is to create the ability to “negotiate” in APIs.. – e.g. “I won’t give you fine-grained location but you can have the town I’m in” (existing example: protocol negotiation in computer systems) More fine-grained mechanisms for revoking permissions – “I don’t trust this anymore” or “I no longer want to share location” Support in APIs for saying “the user does not allow you to do this” – allows developers to gracefully fallback to something without the app breaking. Remember that human behaviour means that people will do whatever they can to get over hurdles i.e. the “Dancing Pigs” problem User must always be in control (this is not the case now) Advanced permissions architectures that allow delegation to a third party that the user trusts (e.g. children’s charities, Which? Etc.)”

Combating phone theft – US takes a step forward but is it enough?

April 10, 2012January 8, 2019mobilephonesecurity9368433311 Comment

It seems that the theft of mobile phones is starting to be recognised in other parts of the world than the UK at the moment. A few of the American newspapers are reporting on the announcement that mobile network operators (or carriers as they are known over there) have done a deal with the FCC to block stolen mobile devices. This is all good news and I don’t want to pour cold water over what is going to be generally good for the consumer in the long term.

This never used to happen in the old days

Why has it taken until now?

The concept of a global blacklist (or Central Equipment Identity Register [CEIR]) for mobile devices has been written in stone (well the GSM specs) for a very long time. See this paper from mobile security veteran Charles Brookson from 1994, which talks about the CEIR. Operators have quietly ignored this requirement and very few are connected to it. Even local blacklisting has been an issue over the years, with issues over sharing information with other operators inside single countries. The practical difficulties are always cited as well as cost. Having been involved in a lot of this debate, a lot of the arguments just don’t wash. As an example, using prohibitive cost as a reason not to maintain a blacklist is laughable. Storage cost is ridiculously low, management is minimal and the operators themselves will see direct benefits from not allowing criminals to hook up stolen phones on their networks. The simple answer to network operator blacklisting is: “where there’s a will, there’s a way”.

Identity changing is not the issue it once was

Another argument that has been frequently wheeled out is that criminals will just change the identity (the IMEI number) of the device to side-step the blocking system. The fact is that IMEI number changing has dropped off massively since the turn of the century as more security has been built into devices (through a lot of effort in a number of industry initiatives). My presentation ‘Mobile Phone Theft: An unsolvable problem?’ from 2011 expands on some of this. There is a 42 day breach reporting process run by the GSM Association which nearly all the manufacturers are involved in. It seems as though the manufacturers have played their part, but it could be argued that the network operators haven’t.

What are governments doing?

It could also be argued that governments haven’t really played their part in all of this. Only the UK has really stepped up and addressed the criminals who actually perpetrate these crimes with legislation and through a dedicated Police unit, the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit. What meaningful steps have other countries taken to help their citizens from the blight of mobile phone theft?

Are we addressing the right problem any more?

Apparently the US system is going to take two years to become operational and this is where I have a bit of an issue. Development and deployment could probably happen a lot more quickly than this, given that the standards have already existed for nearly 20 years. My other issue is about whether we’re addressing the right problem anymore? If mobile phones have evolved to the point that they are now more mobile computer than phone, we should look at what will drive a thief. Thieves take phones generally for their inherent value. That is why historically, blocking a phone’s network access has essentially disabled the device and made it valueless. This isn’t the case in 2012. If you block the IMEI number, guess what? Anyone can still use the phone – you can use the WiFi connection to get on the web, you can use WhatsApp and Skype and you’ll still be able to download stuff from app stores. While this still remains the case, mobile phone theft is going to continue to be a problem. In some ecosystems, the vendor is actually in a very strong position (think those companies with fruits in the name) and they have actually provided additional tools to help against theft. What they need to make sure now is that those devices are not ‘re-activated’ after theft.

What can I as a user do to help myself?

It sounds a bit obvious, but make sure you use your device PIN-lock feature. It can be a pain to use, but it is highly effective in ensuring that whatever is on your device stays on your device. Although thieves generally just care about selling the device on, you still don’t want all your personal data potentially going astray.
Another piece of sensible advice is to be aware of your surroundings; don’t leave your phone on tables in cafes, be careful where you’re using your phone (in dangerous neighbourhoods etc) and when out and about at night. In big cities, tube and metro exits are commonly targeted as people turn their phones on when they surface.
And finally, write down your IMEI number – you’ll need this to give to the Police and network operator if your phone ever gets stolen. You can get the number from the back of your handset or by typing in *#06# at the home screen of your phone.

Don’t advertise your phone to thieves

We’re never going to stop people stealing things, but at least in the US and the UK life is being made slightly more difficult for thieves making things slightly more safe for you.

Mobile World Congress – RIM Porsche fun

March 8, 2012January 8, 2019mobilephonesecurity9368433313 Comments

I promised you all that I’d publish an amusing story about the RIM Porsche 911 at Mobile World Congress last week. For those who don’t know about the background, RIM purchased QNX in 2010 who just happen to also do the embedded software for Porsche and others. There is a video explaining all that stuff below:

I was very impressed by this demo by the way. The coolest part is the live map of the Nurburgring giving you the right braking points because of the GPS link-up (if anyone is reading this from Porsche or RIM I would love to take it round the Ring by the way!).

Anyway, so I was standing there, the Porsche was sitting there unattended as was the Blackberry handset that was part of the demo. I can tell you that the password for the Blackberry was not “porsche” ;-). I opened up the glove box and had a quick look inside only to be presented with a Cradlepoint WiFi router filling the entirety of the space inside:

RIM Porsche glove box

Staring at me from the top of the router was a white label on the top. I’ve enhanced this in the picture below so you can see it properly. Yes, that’s right, they had a label with a default password (a reasonably weak one too) stuck to the top of the router! 🙂 Obviously I’ve blanked out the actual password in the pics:

Default password anyone?

Now I just want to say here that if anyone from RIM is reading this, please do not crank this up as a security incident or go mental at the QNX guys, this is just an amusing story. After all, it’s a demo and chances are the default password was not being used, someone had probably changed it.

Security is only as good as its weakest link

However, here is the serious bit – with all the convergence of mobile tech and the emergence of connected homes, cars and cities, it just goes to show that security is often only as good as its weakest link. That may not be the mobile technology itself, just something it’s connected to. Oh yes, another security message here – don’t leave phones unattended on trade show stands and always lock your glove box!

Mobile World Congress – Biggest story out of the bag already?

February 26, 2012October 25, 2018mobilephonesecurity9368433312 Comments

#MWC10 – I could have sworn we’ve been here before 😉

Mobile World Congress T minus 1 and I already feel like I’ve had too many Long Island Iced Teas. I woke up to lots of leaks about Mozilla’s Boot-to-Gecko (B2G) project. It looks like they’re teaming up with LG and a lot of others to launch a web runtime based phone. I have already seen a lot of cynical comment, to the extent that a lot of people are saying it is dead on arrival. I’m not so sure. It is clear there is a market for low-end devices with front-ends for SMS-based services in emerging countries (Smart in the Philippines have already launched a phone with this in mind). HTML5 implementations have matured to the state that is ready for mobile devices too and a lot of work has gone on in industry over the years to head in this direction.

Mobile web coverage is rubbish

The biggest issue that I see is the continuing assumption that mobile web / cloud access is ubiquitous. This kind of wrong-headed thinking is sadly typical of projects which live on Silicon Roundabout in London or in the valley with great 3G or WiFi connections. This simply isn’t the case for the vast majority of users in the world. Even in the UK, rural network coverage is horrific. Attention to caching and offline browsing has been lacking.

Don’t ignore the security concerns

I worked on this exact subject for quite a while. My biggest concern however is the way in which a lot of the people involved in these projects pay complete lip service to security and privacy. If you look at the B2G wiki, there is not one single mention of security in the FAQs.

What Mozilla are doing is connecting the web to the physical features of the device. Want access to the entire user’s phonebook or location from a web application? Yep, that’s right you can have it. Authorisation is difficult (as Android permissions have shown) and history shows that both users and system developers end up going for the least common denominator when it comes to security and privacy options – they take the one that is the most easy and requires the least intervention (which in the user’s case is pretty much setting everything to no protection).

The W3C Device APIs working group have spent years wrangling with these issues and haven’t come up with a meaningful answer. Lots of people will remember me regularly telling the group that they needed to take security seriously. The EU webinos project is continuing to work on it and are thankfully taking a better approach (based on its origins, OMTP BONDI).

My hope is that more focus on B2G’s security will ensure that mobile users are not exposed to the high number of web application security issues out there.

Cyber Security at Mobile World Congress

February 23, 2012October 25, 2018mobilephonesecurity936843331Leave a comment

Here is a re-post of the blog I did for the Smart UK site (@smartukproject) in preparation for Mobile World Congress. I’m doing quite a few things out there, but I’m looking forward to this on the Tuesday morning (28th), it is going to be a great event,. There are still places available and I encourage anyone interested in mobile security and fraud related topics to sign-up.

”
The UK government recently published the Cyber Security Strategy. What implications does this have for the mobile industry and society at large? With the mobile device at the centre of nearly everyone’s life, the integrity of mobility is paramount. The mobile industry has weathered a variety of security incidents over the years but has been relatively successful in comparison to other industries. Can any lessons be learnt from the past successes of mobile that will help for the future? Is the industry living on borrowed time?

This year’s UKTI and ICT KTN Mobile World Congress seminar: Cyber Security in the Mobile World; will look at the vast array of subjects which now come under mobile security – including cyber bullying between children, fraud against telephony systems through to emerging technologies such as machine-to-machine and LTE infrastructure. Crossing all of these varied topics are industry needs such as the lack of security-aware software engineers and the need to prosecute criminals who defraud or attack electronic systems.

While the mobile industry has made great efforts to learn the past mistakes of the PC world in terms of security, the anti-virus industry has reached saturation in its traditional space. Do mobile devices really need anti-virus or can newer operating systems and technologies negate the need for this type of end point security? Can these companies transform their business models to the changing mobile security landscape and continue to provide a useful service to consumers? How can application stores and developer programmes be improved?

We are pleased to have some of the world’s leading mobile security experts speaking at the event next week. Make sure you sign up as soon as possible in order to reserve your place.

David Rogers runs http://blog.mobilephonesecurity.org. He is also advising the UK Department for Business, Innovation & Skills on Cyber Security for mobile.
“

Mobile Security dinner in Barcelona

January 18, 2012October 25, 2018mobilephonesecurity9368433311 Comment

As we head towards the annual descent to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, I thought I’d tell you about my mobile security dinner. This event is open for people interested in any aspect of mobile or network security, to share ideas and hopefully solve all the world’s problems. It’ll be held on the Sunday night (the 26th) from 9pm onwards at a secret location in Barcelona…

This is not the dinner you’re looking for…

Use the contact form above to get in touch if you’re interested in coming along. An important point to note – we split the bill at the end, so this is not a free meal 🙂

Global Mobile Awards 2012 – Spread the Word

November 22, 2011January 8, 2019mobilephonesecurity936843331Leave a comment

So here we are, before Christmas talking about Mobile World Congress (MWC). This is normal in the mobile industry – most companies in the industry are busily working on demos, deciding who to meet and sorting out stands. #mwc12 is after all, the biggest event in the 2012 calendar for the mobile industry. As a regular, it was sad not to be able to make it to 2011’s MWC, but I’m really looking forward to going back in 2012. Like most Brits, I made sure I had my flights from Heathrow booked back in March!

This year, I am also heading over as a judge for the Global Mobile Awards 2012. I am very honoured to have been asked to judge in the Best Technology category – for Best Technology Product or Solution for Safeguarding and Empowering Customers. The product or solution must have been launched and commercially available prior to the closing deadline – which is very soon – the 30th of November 2011. I’d like to encourage entries. If you think your product or solution fits the bill, make sure you register your entry. More details on the criteria can be found on the award page. The judging criteria will be as follows:

How does the use of your technology safeguard and protect mobile users’ privacy and/or security?
Does your technology prevent fraud against the operator?
How does this technology improve the end user experience
Does this technology allow access to new services by illuminating privacy and security issues?

If you know anyone who you think should enter this, make sure you spread the word! Good luck to all the entrants and to the rest of you, let me know if you’re coming to Barcelona!

15% off Cloud Security Umbrellas

October 11, 2011October 25, 2018mobilephonesecurity9368433311 Comment

Those of you who were at the Informa Cloud Mobility will remember my “Dark Clouds and Rainy Days, The Bad Side of Cloud Computing” talk. Because it is nearly winter and it will probably rain, and of course because I’m incredibly generous – you can now get 15% off the absolutely awesome “Cloud Security” umbrellas in the mobilephonesecurity.org shop. You can choose all sorts of colours as long as it’s black 😉

So head over to the shop and use the discount code RAINBOW to get your 15% discount, it is only available this week!: http://mobilephonesecurity.spreadshirt.co.uk/umbrella-small-A16948594/customize/color/2

* Update: I’ve added a larger size golf umbrella here too!: http://mobilephonesecurity.spreadshirt.co.uk/cloud-security-umbrella-2-A17690342/customize/color/2

Mobile Security Week

September 19, 2011January 8, 2019mobilephonesecurity9368433312 Comments

This week is Carphone Warehouse’s Mobile Security Week. I worked with the guys there to create some advice on security for users which you can find on their site. An extended version is on this page. As part of their research, Carphone Warehouse conducted a survey of over 2000 people which highlighted a lack of awareness amongst users about the importance of protecting personal data. It is interesting that only about 54% of those surveyed think that data on their phone is secure. That is lower than I expected and shows that people are at least concerned about mobile phone security, but maybe aren’t sure what to do. The National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU) have done some great work in the past few years behind the scenes to help prevent mobile phone theft and one of those is to create a database of property which you the user can use by registering at the link in the first tip. If your phone turns up, the Police can then easily identify it as yours. A lot of my readers are tech people, but most mobile users aren’t and they don’t necessarily want to be. Probably one of the most important messages I’d like to get across is for people to use their handset PIN lock – if you don’t want people getting access to your personal data, this is a simple way of preventing that.

It’s great to be able to get the message out this week to people to think about mobile security, so have a look at the tips and see if you and your family are safe and secure?

David’s Mobile Security Tips

As phones become more and more sophisticated, mobile security becomes increasingly important for users. Here are some tips on how to keep you safe and secure when using a mobile phone.

Record your phone’s identity number in case it is stolen

The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is what identifies your phone to the network and is located on the back of your phone underneath the battery. Another way to get your IMEI number is to type *#06# into your phone keypad to display it. When you get your new phone, it should be also on the side of the box. Keep the box label in a drawer just in case you need it. If your phone is lost, report the IMEI number to your service provider and they can block your phone so it can’t be used to make calls. If it is stolen, you should also give the IMEI number to the Police.

You can also register your phone’s details and IMEI number on the UK National Property Register at: http://www.immobilise.com/. This helps the Police to return lost or stolen property to its correct owner.

Secure access to your device and voicemail

PINs and passwords can be a pain as they put a barrier in the way of things you do repeatedly. These days it can be difficult to remember all your different PINs and passwords or be very tempting to use the same password for everything. Firstly, voicemail. The recent phone hacking scandal in the UK showed how important it is to have a PIN on your voicemail to prevent people listening into your private messages. Ring your operator and make sure you have one setup, or alternatively have the service switched off entirely. Don’t choose obvious PINs e.g. 1111, 1234, dates of birth etc.

Make use of the handset locks to protect your data and messages. With touch-screen phones, these are often gesture based, meaning that a convenient swipe is all that is needed to unlock your phone, whilst still keeping your phone safe.

Learn how to manage your passwords without having to remember lots of complex details. You can do this by using password safes which can store lots and lots of different passwords and generate random ones for you. Make sure these are also backed up in a safe place.

Learn how to remotely lock and wipe your phone if you lose it

Losing your phone or having it stolen does happen and when it does, what do you do to prevent someone getting access to your work or personal data? This is where lock and wipe services come in. Many handsets are now capable of running applications which you can stop someone getting access to your data and if you’re sure you can’t recover it, to delete your data. It is a service that can give you invaluable peace of mind if the worst happens. Some services can even help you locate your lost phone by using the GPS function of the device to work out where it is.

Be very wary of WiFi hotspots

However tempting it may be to connect to free WiFi when you’re out and about, take a moment to consider who is providing that service and why. If they’re charging, who are you giving your credit card details to?

By connecting to an untrusted network, you could potentially allow an attacker to get into your accounts for social networking sites, your email and banking details. In general if you are connected to a public WiFi network, don’t do anything sensitive such as internet banking or making purchases.

Know what you are giving applications permission to do

Always think about what an application is supposed to be doing, where it came from and who made it. Simple internet searches can often verify the validity of an application if you suspect all is not well. Inspect the permissions that an application requests. Does this application really need access to your phonebook? Does it really need to send SMSs? If not, just don’t install it. It should be said that some phone permissions aren’t very well done and can be difficult to understand, so even a legitimate application can give a misleading impression of what it actually does. There are some tools available to help you manage your permissions, for example only giving one application the permission to get to your location.

A common practice amongst hackers is to create a fake copy of a genuine application. This might be free, to entice people to download it. Sadly, the free version is a “Trojan horse” and will do nasty things. Mobile malware is still at a very low level in comparison with the PC world, but is definitely on the rise in 2011 and you should be extremely careful with applications you download. Many hackers see mobiles as an increasingly juicy targe
t because your whole life is stored on there. You are putting yourself at increased risk if you ‘jailbreak’ your device or if you install untrusted applications. Anti-virus applications are now available for those people who want an added level of protection.

Be careful when clicking on web links and scanning 2D barcodes

Don’t be lured into clicking on an unknown link to a web page. A phone’s screen is much smaller and it is often more difficult to see a full link to a website and verify that it is what it says it is. Not only this, but links are often shortened so you can’t actually read the proper website it goes to. If you get messages or posts on facebook and twitter with links, stop and think. Do you know the sender? If you do, is this something that they would send you? If you do click, it is often too late once you realise that there is a problem. Don’t react to or reply to spam messages you may get over SMS or Bluetooth.

New technology allows barcode scanner applications to read 2D or Quick Response (QR) codes (kind of like square barcodes). These are often put in newspapers and on advertising boards. Be very careful – do you know and trust the source. Could the poster have been tampered with or be fake? The problem here is that you often can’t verify that the link is genuine or not, because you can’t decipher the barcodes with your own eyes. It could be linking to some very nasty stuff.

Always backup your data

This is something that is always on the to-do list but never quite gets done. Take a little time to think about what would happen if you lost your phone and phone numbers and how it would affect you. Then think about what you can do to mitigate that. There are lots of services and tools out there to help you do this on a regular basis without thinking about it. Choose one you trust, or if you decide to backup your data yourself, make sure you do it regularly and store it in more than one place just in case your backup fails.

Be careful when charging your phone on someone else’s computer or at a charge point

Be extra careful if you desperately need to charge your phone while out and about. A lot of phones combine a data connection with the charger so you could end up having your data stolen without realising it. Who is providing the service? Do you have to handover your phone to have it charged? Do you really need to connect to your friend’s laptop? At a recent hacking conference, a fake battery charging booth was setup offering free phone charge but then stole the data of the phones connected.

Protect your children whilst surfing

Kids often know more than their parents when it comes to new technology. Whilst a phone can give you peace of mind that your child is safe when out and about, it also has access to lots of functionality and content that you might not want to allow your child access to at home. There are some applications available that can be installed on mobiles to help you manage what your child can access or download. You can get a shop to set these up for you and set a password so that your settings can only be changed by you. Some great information on protecting your children online in The Carphone Warehouse’s Guide to Mobile Web Safety at: http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobilewebsafety and also CEOP’s website: http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

Be aware of your surroundings when using your phone

Phones are an attractive target to thieves and whilst they’re with us all the time, they can be snatched or stolen easily. Think about your surroundings when you’re about to use your phone. Do you really want to turn your phone on, just as you walk out of the tube, or can you do it further down the street? If you’re sat in a café or bar, don’t leave your phone on the table. It is a prime target for snatching or a distraction theft. Of course, make sure that any handbags or rucksacks are secured too; trapping a chair leg around a handle is a good way to prevent a bag being stolen.

When you’re walking along and browsing such that you haven’t noticed if someone is near you? You are particularly vulnerable if you’re tied up doing something else. Rather than walking home at night on the phone to a loved one, put the phone away so that you’re aware of everything going on around you.