UK government rings the death knell for SIM farms

The UK government plans to introduce new legislation to ban SIM farms, which it views as a widely abused means for carrying out cyber fraud. Upon introduction of the criminal offense, violating it will incur a penalty of an unlimited fine, the government said. SIM farms are defined as devices that can hold four or more SIM …

[Anonymous Coward]

Ban banning things

If I were a criminal, I'd pop across to Europe somewhere, buy a multi-sim capable device and bring it back to the UK. Then setup shop as normal. I can't see how a ban is going to prevent that.

If maybe I got sea sick so didn't fancy taking a ferry to France, then I'd buy a raft of cheap Android phones, with one sim in each and setup my sim farm that way. One computer can happily connect to dozens of individual phones, so it really needn't be that difficult. Again, a ban doesn't seem to be useful.

Hell, I'm sure a suitably wily criminal could produce a side-loaded app for a phone which lets it be "remotely controlled" to send/receive texts/calls over the network. You don't even need to put them all in the same building - you could have them physically located all over the country in your teenage mules bedrooms, in the back room of your club and in the wife's underwear drawer. The 'controller' can be a couple of your henchmen and a computer safely ticked up in a house in Elbonia - far from the annoying jurisdiction of the UK. Again, the ban seems pointless.

Suffice to say, however they choose to operate, the criminal fraternity are infinitely more inventive and adaptable than any amount of the government. I predict this will be largely a pointless endeavour. Are our government ministers and their stooges in the departments really not able to see this sort of thing?

When I see these sorts of things, I'm always left wondering why does the government feel it *needs* to do these things. WIth so many other problems, why "die on this particular hill"? I'm sure money has its part to play, but even still, it seem weird to me.

[elsergiovolador]

Re: Ban banning things

This is classic Sunak's hot air thing. Just announce something that sounds great on the surface, but doesn't actually achieve anything.

He and his government has voters in contempt if he thinks people are that gullible.

[cyberdemon]

Re: Ban banning things

It will achieve lots as another chilling effect for honest & legitimate uses of electronics though.

Trying to develop an open-source phone? Sorry, not allowed in the UK now!

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: Ban banning things

I'm sure Blair2.0 can fix it by merely requiring some form of identification to buy a SIM, perhaps in the form of a card ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Ban banning things

It's hardly specific to Sunak though.

This has been around since at least the days of Jim Hacker:

"Something must be done. This is something. Therefore we must do it"

[VBF]

Re: Ban banning things

Yes Minister

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Ban banning things

Why bother? You could lash up the equivalunt with a pile of phones connected to a PC via a USB hub. Wouldn't suprise me if software-wise all you need is Phone Link. Worst case, you write some code.

[Captain Hogwash]

Re: produce a side-loaded app

Such apps already exist, for Android at least. I use one in order to be able to send and receive SMS from the number everybody knows, at my domestic rate, regardless of where I am in the world.

It also prevents those who know that number and would track my movements via VLR/HLR data from being able to do so.

[jackalek]

Re: produce a side-loaded app

And the name of such app is....?

Captain?

[Captain Hogwash]

Re: produce a side-loaded app

Forgive the lateness, I've been ill.

SmsMatrix is what I use. It requires a couple of Matrix accounts. I'd recommend self-hosted unless you want to count responses in geological time.

MAXS and its various modules are also available but I found it less reliable. This would require XMPP rather than Matrix.

[sev.monster]

Re: Ban banning things

About as effective on the butterknife ban preventing people from getting stabbed. Governments seem to exist to push useless legislature, not fix problems.

[MachDiamond]

Re: Ban banning things

"Governments seem to exist to push useless legislature, not fix problems."

Solving problems is hard and passing new laws is very easy. It's assumed that if a new law is passed, the politicians are doing something and earning their daily crust. All they are really doing is making it appear they are doing something without needing to put in much effort.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Ban banning things

If maybe I got sea sick so didn't fancy taking a ferry to France, then I'd buy a raft of cheap Android phones,

Shhh! Don't mention rafts and channel crossings. It will enrage the gammon.

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Re: Ban banning things

If maybe I got sea sick so didn't fancy taking a ferry to France

You don't get sea sick going under the sea on Eurostar

[AndrueC]

Re: Ban banning things

You can get motion sick though. I felt a bit queasy when I went through there a few years ago. The lack of windows makes it risky for those of us susceptible to such things.

[Phil O'Sophical]

Re: Ban banning things

Worse in Le Shuttle. It is very weird to be sitting in a car, but feeling the typical motion of a train.

[Jan 0]

Re: Ban banning things

>typical motion of a train ?

That's by far and away the smoothest train journey I've ever taken. I wouldn't have known we were moving if there weren't windows so that you can glimpse the tunnel outside!

[Blackjack]

Re: Ban banning things

Is actually quite easy to spam calls and texts from numbers that don't exist, it happens in a lot of countries including in Argentina.

Sim Farms use real phone numbers and sim chips are getting passed out of use in many parts of the world.

So they are basically banning something that won't be in used anyway in a decade or two.

[DS999]

Re: Ban banning things

I'd pop across to Europe somewhere, buy a multi-sim capable device and bring it back to the UK

Or operate it from the EU using a plan that allows unlimited texting to the UK.

[therealmav]

Re: Ban banning things

If I were a criminal, I'd pop across to Europe somewhere, buy a multi-sim capable device and bring it back to the UK. Then setup shop as normal.

If I were an enterprising businessman, I’d learn - or find someone who could do it for me - how to build an eSIM farm, build it right here at home and setup shop selling esim farms to people with no questions asked.

[David Hicklin]

Re: Ban banning things

> why does the government feel it *needs* to do these things

To show that they are doing "something", even if they are unenforceable, hence new laws when existing ones already cover the activity "Look we banned it - problem solved"!

[Alan Brown]

Re: Ban banning things

"I'd buy a raft of cheap Android phones, with one sim in each"

Or a bunch of cheap USB 4G sticks?

[ChoHag]

> "This will give police additional tools to disrupt the vile criminals that target the UK public."

Are the extra pejorative adjectives supposed to help? This just makes me question the motives of the speaker and ask what my attention is being diverted away from.

> due to the way in which SIM farms are constructed, they can make the jobs of law enforcement trying to intercept and decode communications data more difficult.

> a ban "may not be fully effective in preventing criminals from accessing and deploying SIM farms," but would give law enforcement extra powers

Ah. There it is.

> The vast majority of respondents to the consultation disagreed with every aspect of the government's plans

Surprise!

And while I'm here...

> However, we will exempt any data-only devices that are not capable of making calls or sending texts.

Did no-one tell them what the calls and texts are made of?

[Jonathon Green]

> "This will give police additional tools to disrupt the vile criminals that target the UK public."

“Are the extra pejorative adjectives supposed to help? This just makes me question the motives of the speaker and ask what my attention is being diverted away from.”

It differentiates the targets from the nice polite criminals who went to the right schools and make donations to the right political parties and lobby groups…

[Cynical Pie]

I think they are known as Old Etonians rather than criminals these days

[Handlebars]

"Did no-one tell them what the calls and texts are made of?"

The phone networks do distinguish those things, but do you know if a device that is designed as data only (like a 5g router) can be hacked to overcome this? It's all a bit academic since you can just buy a brace of cheap phones anyway.

[Anonymous Coward]

high end devices

I think some high end terminal servers have multiple SIM slots so that you can remote control your devices regardless of carrier network issues. This ridiculous rule will mean that companies like Opengear won't be selling their capable, expensive, stackable, terminal servers in the UK.

[sev.monster]

Re: high end devices

Wow, I never heard of Opengear. Those things look very cool. It's like a KVM on 'roids. I see immediate utility in any critical high uptime enterprise.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: high end devices

There are quite a few companies that make these.

Make sure you understand what you're doing when configuring cellular-equipped terminal servers since you can open yourself to a world of hurt if you do so incorrectly.

[sev.monster]

Re: high end devices

You mean aside from being arrested?

[cyberdemon]

"Did no-one tell them what the calls and texts are made of?"

A lot of those walnut-brains in power seem to think that it is the SIM itself that does the inter-wibbling, when in fact it is just an identifier

Remember when MI5 were shocked to find hidden SIM cards inside diplomatic vehicles? I wonder what they'd make of the trend towards eSIMs..

[Anonymous Coward]

Eh ?

Surely a PC with a massive USB hub and a shedload of 3G dongles would do the job ?

I am always wary of laws that seem outpaced by technology.

[Jad]

Re: Eh ?

and weirdly; I'm pretty sure that that wouldn't be banned, as it's not a single device ...

I can see the next step being forcing the carriers to identify/triangulate non-moving sims in high numbers in a very localised area, so as to identify potential breaches ... would make the police's job of finding potential ne'er-do-wells, by catching them potentially on the "SIM farm" law, which is an easy Boolean law, rather than cold calling which is harder to prove ...

[Roland6]

Re: Eh ?

>” identify/triangulate non-moving sims in high numbers”

Good, that excludes the shopping trolley of phones used to mess up navigation apps traffic congestion algorithms, just need to keep walking…

[RegGuy1]

Re: Eh ?

I thought they'd got rid of the police as too expensive.

[Sorry that forum user name is already taken.]

Re: Eh ?

They love to make laws about things they don't understand. I'm in the US, and it's always good for a few laughs when our gov't takes up some law governing technology. "Four blind men describing an elephant" comes to mind. Sounds a lot like InfoSec in my own company. :( And it's downright embarrassing.

[elsergiovolador]

Ineptitude

"Our primary objective is to stop criminals accessing SIM farms – it is not our intention to disrupt legitimate business or hinder technological development in the UK,"

This is a brilliant example of government saying one thing and then doing the opposite.

Such ban won't make a difference to criminals, but it will make it more difficult for legitimate business to use these kind of devices.

I guess brown envelopes from companies selling text services flew in.

[A Non e-mouse]

Re: Ineptitude

Think of the children!

[Fred Daggy]

Re: Ineptitude

Whenever that phrase is uttered by someone trying to push for more uber-powers, that phrase has always stuck me as having 2 words too many. Much better: Children, Think!

[sev.monster]

Re: Ineptitude

Forgot your icon.

[Alan Brown]

Re: Ineptitude

Jimmy Saville always did

[Anonymous Coward]

Anyone remember premium rate phone lines ?

I spent 20 years campaigning to have these require an opt-in, rather than the chargeable opt-out which was the norm.

So governments pretending they are doing me a favour can FRO.

[Mike 137]

"It will also not apply to the Crown"

By which they implicitly mean the government. Yet another little shuffle towards laws not applying to the 'state' if it finds them inconvenient.

[phuzz]

Re: "It will also not apply to the Crown"

That's hardly a new phenomenon, since there have been governments, there have been laws which don't apply to those governments.

That's practically the definition of what a government is!

[markr555]

Poor proof reading

You commit an offence, not an offense. Offense cannot ever be a noun

[heyrick]

Re: Poor proof reading

Just another part of the yankification going on around here...

[KarMann]

Re: Poor proof reading

Normally, the yankification doesn't trouble me too much, being an ex-Yank myself. But even I would draw the line at yankifying (dare I say yankifizing?) the spelling in an article about a specifically British subject such as this. Bad El Reg! Bad! No biscuit!

[RegGuy1]

Re: Poor proof reading

Monetize gets my goat. Make money out of...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Poor proof reading

Indeed, given that 'exploit', 'commercialise' and 'sell' are existing alternatives.

The one that gets me is 'burglarize'. Replacing a verb (burgle) with a repurposed noun (burglar)

Like how athletes hurdlarize in a steeplechase

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: Poor proof reading

And if they're lucky they medalize or at least podiumize

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Yankification

has it's uses. Anything telling me about amazing deals for "seniors" for example can get in the bin.

[heyrick]

Re: Yankification

Seniors, huh?

Fifth form was so long ago I don't even remember it.

(And why was there an Upper Fifth before Sixth? Was it forbidden to count to seven?)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Yankification

We had a lower sixth and an upper sixth. It basically meant that you were the folks not in uniform and doing A levels.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Yankification

We even had a middle sixth, for people who had failed lower sixth and were resitting. Never be allowed these days, can't stigmatise the poor wee souls.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: Yankification

Makes sense, "Sixth" is REAL not INTEGER

[Jan 0]

Re: Upper Fifth

Wasn't that for people too thick to go into the Sixth Form, but whose parents didn't want to expose them to harsh realities.

[RegGuy1]

Re: Poor proof reading

Indeed -- verbs use the s, nouns the c: the doctor practises at his practice.

[Emir Al Weeq]

Re: Poor proof reading

... and you can't remember which is which then I adviSe you to get some adviCe. That one's easy to remember because they are pronounced differently.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Poor proof reading

I consider myself to be rather well educated (I can read upside down and I don't use spell checkers.) Why am I only hearing this rule for the first time in my fifties?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Poor proof reading

I think you use a spelling checker (unless you're at Hogwarts).

[Anonymous Coward]

My boss came back from Hong Kong last month

Every taxi he took had a bank of phones (7 seemed to be the average) for each ride-hailing app.

Working as he does for a mobile phone accessory distributor, it did suggest a UK version.

[Graham Cobb]

Re: My boss came back from Hong Kong last month

If I worked in the gig economy I would use a different number for each company I work with, just like I use a different email address for every single company I deal with in my life today. That way, when I terminate my relationship I never hear from them again, and if they violate my privacy by passing my number on, I know who not to do business with again.

Of course, I would need all those numbers to actually be usable from a single device. Again, just like I do with all my email addresses today. This is a ridiculous piece of legislation by someone completely out of touch with modern life. One phone, one number? Who's ridiculous idea is that?

The answer to cold calling is proper enforcement of fines - not banning multi-SIM devices. And with e-sims and VoIP farms, it will completely ineffective for its stated purpose.

So, what is the real purpose of the ban? For what, presumably secret, purpose do the government rely on MSISDNs for security, meaning they have to limit people having several?

[frankster]

Failing to ban esim farms makes the ban pointless. I'm writing this comment from an esim!

If they're going to ban SIM farms then do it properly or not at all.

I didn't see any mention of testing or monitoring as use cases that may be exempt..

[WonkoTheSane]

"Ultra Vires"?

Isn't that the Conservative Party motto these days?

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: "Ultra Vires"?

Until somebody works out that Latin is European

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Ultra Vires"?

s/r/l/

[HMcG]

Bulk SMS for businesses is a nice little earner for any of the major carriers. Killing off cheaper competition through captive legislation is always nice.

I wouldn't've be the slightest surprised if Ben Wallace and/or Tom Tugendhat end up on a nice little 'consultancy' for one of the major mobile providers, for 'services rendered'.

[Jan 0]

Tugend?

Is that my arse or my willy?

[cyberdemon]

Re: Tugend?

Depends if you're a ndhat or not ..

[Anonymous Coward]

POV Problem Here!

Quote: "...This will give police additional tools to disrupt the vile criminals that target the UK public...."

Really?

How about "additional tools" to prevent "vile criminals" like Wayne Couzens or David Carrick ACTUALLY BEING PART OF THE POLICE in the first place?

Sigh!.....I know....this c**p from the usual Conservative sock puppet (aka security minister Tom Tugendhat) is just the usual misdirection ("We are doing something").

[Elongated Muskrat]

Re: POV Problem Here!

What is actually needed is the opposite of what they are doing: Stop making new laws that the police can't keep up with, and start funding policing (and paying officers) properly. That way, proper vetting can be done, proper training can be given, and we retain the trained officers, rather than losing them all and replacing them with cheaper fresh-faced recruits who don't know what they are doing, but are given a taser to do it with.

[43300]

So the aim is (allegedly) to give those who are intending to break one or more laws another law to break! Yeah, that'll stop 'em!

[MachDiamond]

I want a 4 SIM phone

There are plenty of cases where having a phone with multiple SIM/phone numbers are very useful. One line can be a personal number, the second a general business line, the third a preferred customer business number and the forth a local number for another country. This makes it easy to turn the ringer off after business hours and have a local number in another country where you do business frequently rather than needing a stout tool belt to hold multiple phones.

I have a dual SIM phone with one number for work and one for my personal line. I've thought of getting a third phone number for preferred customers so I can silence my business line after hours as opposed to just forwarding one line. I already use ringtones so I know if I can let a call go to voicemail and call them back shortly or if it's somebody that I will want to drop what I'm doing to pick up.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I want a 4 SIM phone

I have a 4 SIM phone.

Unfortunately it's 2G only.

And the user interface is somewhat idiosyncratic, having been (badly) mapped over from the original Chinese.

More than two SIMs wasn't possible in 3G because of how the paging worked.

But now we have IMS Voice that can connect over the data channel of another SIM, I'm surprised we still have a de-facto two SIM limit.

[Potty Professor]

Re: I want a 4 SIM phone

When I was working as a delivery driver, they gave me a mobile phone to keep in the van for business use. I also had my personal phone with me, so I connected that to the van's Hands Free system and set up automatic forwarding on the works' phone to shunt incoming calls to my phone, and thence to the hands free speaker. If I needed to call the shop or a customer, I would park up and use the works' phone to make (and pay for) the call.

[Lee D]

Oh, no, the fraudsters who are using things to commit fraud might be breaking the law if they obtain those things to commit fraud.

Whatever will they do?

[IGotOut]

Legitimate use.

Many years ago we had a 24 bank SIM "farm" and it was a bloody lifesaver.

It was used as a back up device when some numpty would decide to put a digger through one of the trunk lines to the exchange. The main 0845's would fail back to the relevant number for a department and out going would choose the first SIM for out going. It was basic but it worked.

It was later mothballed but then bought back with another 48port one when a site HAD to move offices without fail, but there would be no land line or data for another two weeks.

We installed them both with external antennas, the 24 bank handled voice and the 48 port handled data over 3g. Again, it was a kludge, but it worked.

[MachDiamond]

Re: Legitimate use.

"We installed them both with external antennas, the 24 bank handled voice and the 48 port handled data over 3g. Again, it was a kludge, but it worked."

Sometimes a big box of tools lets you solve problems quickly and the next person that needs to solve a problem might also appreciate the same sort of kit.

I get it, phone farms get used for all sorts of nefarious things, but cars get used by bank robbers all of the time. I'm failing to think of a single time a bank robber ran off on foot, bicycle or skateboard. I suppose they could get lost on the underground, but that's one place that doesn't lack for CCTV.

It's more important to make criminals pay for their crimes when they get caught as a deterrence. Just banning things like multi-SIM products when they remain freely available in many other parts of the world just keeps them out of the hands of people that will put them to honest use. I could make some good money bringing them into the country in my laptop bag dressed and described as some sort of peripheral sitting next to my laptop. I highly doubt that a customs inspector would look at them twice.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Legitimate use.

You sold it, then bought it back?

[JulieM]

Never going to work

It's simply never going to work.

All the hardware is already out there, and all the software you need to make it work is Open Source.

Hell, I've built a few of those devices myself -- and was so impressed, I even bought a little single-SIM one to add to my home Asterisk server, which already had an analogue telephony card to connect my little collection of old landline phones to. So you could dial a mobile number, and an actual, real GPO 746 would ring out ..... and you could dial some interesting things from the 746 .....