NDSS 2025 - Detecting IMSI-Catchers by Characterizing Identity Exposing Messages in Cellular Traffic

Описание: SESSION
Session 3B: Wireless, Cellular & Satellite Security
Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium 2025, 24 February – 28 February 2025 in San Diego, California.

PAPER
Detecting IMSI-Catchers by Characterizing Identity Exposing Messages in Cellular Traffic
https://www.ndss-symposium.org/wp-con...
IMSI-Catchers allow parties other than cellular network providers to covertly track mobile device users. While the research community has developed many tools to combat this problem, current solutions focus on correlated behavior and are therefore subject to substantial false classifications. In this paper, we present a standards-driven methodology that focuses on the messages an IMSI-Catcher textit(must) use to cause mobile devices to provide their permanent identifiers. That is, our approach focuses on causal attributes rather than correlated ones. We systematically analyze message flows that would lead to IMSI exposure (most of which have not been previously considered in the research community), and identify 53 messages an IMSI-Catcher can use for its attack. We then perform a measurement study on two continents to characterize the ratio in which connections use these messages in normal operations.

AUTHORS
Tyler Tucker (University of Florida), Nathaniel Bennett (University of Florida), Martin Kotuliak (ETH Zurich), Simon Erni (ETH Zurich), Srdjan Capkun (ETH Zuerich), Kevin Butler (University of Florida), Patrick Traynor (University of Florida)

ABOUT NDSS
The Network and Distributed System Security Symposium (NDSS) fosters information exchange among researchers and practitioners of network and distributed system security. The target audience includes those interested in practical aspects of network and distributed system security, with a focus on actual system design and implementation. A major goal is to encourage and enable the Internet community to apply, deploy, and advance the state of available security technologies.
https://www.ndss-symposium.org/

#NDSS #NDSS25 #NDSS2025 #InternetSecurity