Mobiles forced to send premium-rate texts in new attack

Cybercrooks may be able to force mobiles to send premium-rate SMS messages or prevent them from receiving messages due to security weaknesses in mobile telecoms standards. The weakness involves the handling of messages directed towards SIM Application Toolkits, applications preloaded onto SIM cards by mobile operators. The …

[handle]

SMS DoS attack

I'm sure there's a delay on retry in the network operator's software - just how many bogus SMS messages would have to be sent to create enough retry loops to interfere with the operation of the phone?

[BristolBachelor]

I already suffer from something similar on 1 of my accounts from Vodafone. On that particular account, Voda charge an arm, leg and 2 eyes for data, so the phone has all data disabled. The problem is that Voda send MMS adverts to the phone, which then asks for permission to access the data network to download the payload of the MMS advert. That permission is denied, so the sending fails. Voda then try to send the message again, and again, and again.

Not only can't the phone receive other messages while this is going on, but the fact that the radio is busy all this time talking to the network means that the standby time of the phone reduces from about 2 weeks to about 1 hour or less :(

[DryBones]

So... your carrier is spamming you? I think I'd go have a discussion with them at elevated volume involving the words "not fit for purpose".

[Andrew 66]

You know that there is no charge for recieving MMS messages, right.

Although, I have 2 Vodafone lines and they have never sent me a single MMS, so I imagine its probably somebody else trying to send them....

[Anonymous Coward]

Surely you could just call them and get them to remove MMS from your subscribed services - no more MMS messages!