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Friday, July 15, 2011

How safe is your voicemail... and how safe is your phone?

Mark Bridge writes:

In this week’s podcast feature we’re joined by Jack Wraith, chief executive for the Telecommunications UK Fraud Forum and chairman of the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum.

He talks to Iain Graham about the current state of voicemail security and the improvements to mobile security we’ve seen in the last few years.

As Jack explains, the original process used for ‘voicemail hacking’ - listening to someone else’s messages on their answering service - is no longer possible. In the past, voicemail was automatically set up to allow customers to hear their messages remotely. You’d generally ring your own number, wait to hear your own voicemail answering message and then enter a 4-digit personal identification number. The big problem was that voicemail was set up with a default 4-digit PIN code on each network. (For example, all Vodafone handsets were preset to 3333). Although you were told to change your PIN, you didn’t need to. So, if you wanted to listen to someone else’s messages and knew what network they were using, you also knew what their default voicemail PIN was.

Fortunately, the process was changed several years ago. Exact details will vary between UK mobile networks… but the biggest change is that there’s no such thing as a default PIN for remote access. If you’re setting up a PIN code, you’ll need to make one up yourself – and you’ll often find that security features can only be changed from the mobile phone itself.

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Categories: Networks and operators, OpinionNumber of views: 10823

Tags: security voicemail crime micaf tuff

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Opinion Articles

Hotel phone charges demonstrate the value of packing your mobile

Mark Bridge writes:

I like hotels. Free biscuits in your room and all the portions of UHT milk you can drink. But the phone calls... that's a different story.

Dearie me, you're paying for that hospitality tray when you pick up the phone.

Author: The Fonecast
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Charlie Chaplin, a mobile phone and a time-travel mystery

Mark Bridge writes:

A Charlie Chaplin DVD includes an image of a woman using a mobile phone in 1928.

That’s the suggestion surrounding a YouTube clip that’s currently received more than 2½ million hits since it was posted online last week.

Author: The Fonecast
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Why the Sat-Nav Application Model is Broken

James Rosewell writes:

Most Sat-Nav applications are now obtained via the Application Store used on the mobile phone. Navigon have gone so far as to remove access to their application via any other route. Application Stores are now the only choice. This move to a platform-specific sales model is a massive mistake.

Author: The Fonecast
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Come on, Steve Jobs – why don't you attack a few more mobile companies?

Mark Bridge writes:

Mark Zuckerberg's girlfriend breaks up with him acrimoniously. So off he goes and creates Facebook. Yes, there's nothing like an insult to fire up the creativity. Well, that's certainly what the plot of The Social Network would like you to think.

And, you know, it's got a point. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that sticking two fingers up at the opposition seems to be the new way of doing business.

Author: The Fonecast
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The positive cult of giffgaff

Mark Bridge writes:

Wouldn't it be great if mobile customers loved their networks so much that they'd fight for them?  Ofcom would be inundated with complaints from O2 users about its decision not to allow GSM frequencies to be used for 3G services. Vodafone customers would demand that Nokia pre-loaded the N8 with a Vodafone 360 application. Orange users would be sending petitions to radio stations, asking them to implement HD Voice on phone-ins. And giffgaff users would take to online forums to defend the service they receive.

Oh, hang on. That last one's already happening.

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