Welcome to our YouTube channel don't forget to subscribe and press the Bell icon hi this is s te specialist and member at web development think your phone is safe think again in today's interconnected World our smartphones are more vulnerable than ever hackers don't need to touch your phone to hack it they can infiltrate your device from Miles Away using sophisticated techniques that exploit the very Network we rely on it's like magic but scarier imagine someone having access to your most private moments without you ever knowing they exploit vulnerabilities in the global Network that connects our calls this network known as ss7 was designed decades ago and wasn't built with modern security threats in mind we trust this network every time we make a call or send a text it's the backbone of our communication yet it's riddled with flaws but what if this trust is misplaced what if the very system we depend on is compromised hackers can exploit weaknesses in this system they can intercept your calls read your messages and even track your movements they can listen to your calls turning your private conversations into public knowledge they can read your texts gaining access to sensitive information and personal secrets they can even track your location knowing where you are at any given moment all without ever laying a finger on your phone this isn't science fiction it's happening right now in real time this isn't just about celebrities or politicians it's about everyone from your neighbor to your family members it's about all of us our digital lives are intertwined and no one is immune to these threats our private conversations our personal data all hanging by a thread the implications are vast and deeply concerning the question isn't if you'll be targeted but when as technology advances so do the methods of those who wish to exploit it so how does this Invisible Threat work what makes it so effective and Elusive let's dive in and expose the shadowy world of ss7 attacks understanding the threat is the first step in protecting ourselves pause 3s ss7 short for signaling System 7 is a protocol telecom companies use to communicate with each other let's pause and understand what exactly an ss7 attack is and how it works ss7 or signaling system num 7 is a set of protocols used to manage and Route calls and texts across public public switch telephone networks pstn when people speak of ss7 attacks they usually mean telling another Telecom to route a number to you you can use this to bypass SMS MFA if I can tell Google's Upstream phone provider that I own your phone number then when I try to log into your Google account I'll get the code texted to me not you dot there are several International telecoms with less than Stellar reputations that people have hacked into or even just bought ss7 access from to steal SMS MFA codes at scale there's not a lot you can do about this as a Defender other than relying on app-based or YouTu fmfa tokens rather than using sms. it quote is the backbone that enables different phone networks to communicate with each other ensuring that your text messages and calls reach their intended destinations however the very design of ss7 which dates back to the 1970s makes it vulnerable to exploitation an ss7 attack occurs when a hacker gains unauthorized access to the ss7 network once inside they can manipulate the system to intercept calls and texts track the location of a phone and even redirect Communications this isn't just theoretical it's a real and present danger here's how it typically Works hackers exploit vulnerabilities in the ss7 network by sending malicious requests that are treated as legitimate by the network these requests can trick the network into forwarding calls and messages to the Hacker's device or while the victim remains completely unaware the hacker can then listen to calls read texts and monitor the victim's location in real time the reason ss7 attacks are so effective is because ss7 protocols were designed in an era when security was not a primary concern the Assumption was that any entity with access to the network could be trusted an assumption that is no longer valid in today's world of cyber threats understanding how ss7 attacks work is crucial because it highlights the need for stronger security measures in our communication networks so now that we know what an ss7 attack is and how it works let's continue our journey through the history of phone vulnerabilities pause 3s now let's return to our exploration of how our communication systems have evolved and the challenges they faced along the way in this chapter we will going in-depth into various methods hackers use to compromise your phone these include hacking software SIM card swapping fishing attacks and Bluetooth hacking each of these methods has its own unique approach and risks but understanding them can help you stay protected hacking software hackers sneak it onto your phone by physically accessing your phone or by tricking you into installing it via a phony app a sketchy website or a fishing attack hacking software can create problems for you in a couple of ways key logging in the hands of a hacker key logging works like a stalker by snooping information as you Type Tap and even talk on your phone Trojans Trojans are types of malware that can be disguised in your phone to extract important data such as credit card account details or personal information some possible signs of hacking software on your phone include one a battery that drains way too quickly two dot your phone runs A little sluggish or gets hot three dot apps quit suddenly or your phone shuts off and turns back on four dot you see unrecognized data text or other charges on your bill SIM card swapping SIM card swapping occurs when a hacker contacts your phone provider pretends to be you and then asks for a replacement SIM card once the provider sends the new sim to the hacker the old SIM card will be deactivated and your phone number will be effectively stolen this means the hacker has taken control of your phone calls messages and so forth this method of hacking requires the seemingly not so easy task of impers ating someone else yet clearly it happened to the CEO of a major tech company protecting your personal info and identity online can help prevent Hackers from impersonating you to pull off this and other crimes fishing attacks fishing is a method where hackers send fake emails texts instant messages and so forth some of which can look really legitimate these messages often contain links to fake websites designed to steal your login credentials or personal information blue Bluetooth hacking professional hackers can use dedicated technologies that search for vulnerable mobile devices with an open Bluetooth connection hackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to gain access to your phone steal data or install malicious software hackers can pull off these attacks when they are within range of your phone up to 30 ft away usually in a populated area when hackers make a Bluetooth connection to your phone they can possibly access your data and info yet that data and info must be downloaded while the phone is within range as you probably gathered this is a more sophisticated attack given the effort and Technology involved always be cautious of suspicious emails messages and apps and keep your phone's software up to date to protect against known vulnerabilities remember rotary phones you dial a number and each turn of the dial would produce a series of clicks and wor these sounds were the phone's way of connecting to the person on the other end it was a simpler time a time when communication felt more personal and direct but even then the phone system had its own set of vulnerabilities operators manually connected calls and the system was far from foolproof back then phone calls traveled over physical wires stretching across cities and countries hackers or phone freaks as they were called found ways to exploit these lines they made free calls tampered with phone services and even rerouted calls to different destinations it was the early days of hacking a time when the digital Frontier was just beginning to be explored as technology advanced the phone system transitioned from analog to digital this shift revolutionized the way we communicated we moved from analog signals which were continuous waves to digital packets which are discrete units of data this change made communication faster more efficient and capable of carrying more information however this digital transformation also introduced new vulnerabilities the very complexity that made the system powerful also made it susceptible to attacks the digital world is intricate with countless nodes and Pathways for data to travel and with this complexity comes numerous opportunities for exploitation hackers today have a vast playground of digital networks to infiltrate this brings us to the modern-day vulnerabilities that hackers exploit constantly evolving and adapting to new [Music] technologies remember those free international call apps they seem too good to be true right ever wonder how they actually work behind the scenes some exploit vulnerabilities in the global telecommunications Network infrastructure these vulnerabilities allow them to re-root calls through countries with significantly lower calling rates while seemingly harmless these exploits highlight a bigger problem security gaps in the global Network these gaps are like like open doors inviting hackers to walk right in without much effort these vulnerabilities aren't just about making free calls they can be used for far more malicious and dangerous purposes this is where the ss7 protocol comes into play ss7 it sounds like a secret code and in a way it is ss7 stands for signaling system number seven it's the backbone of the global tele Communications Network think of it as the invisible network that connects every phone call and text message when you call your mom in another country ss7 makes that connection happen it's the invisible handshake between different phone networks ss7 is essential for things like call forwarding voicemail and even SMS messages it's a complex system but it's been the standard for decades but like any technology it has its flaws and those flaws are what hackers are exploiting section five ss7s dirty secret how hackers exploit this network here's the scary part ss7 wasn't designed with security in mind it was built on trust back then only trusted telecommunications companies had access but the world has changed today accessing ss7 isn't as difficult as you might think hackers can buy access on the dark web they can even set up their own fake telecom companies once they're in they can wreak havoc they can intercept calls and text messages they can track your location they can even disable your sim card effectively cutting you off from the world and they can do all of this remotely without ever touching your phone section six hello can you hear me intercepting calls through ss7 imagine this you're having a private conversation on your cell phone you think it's just you and the person on the other end but someone else is listening in a hacker miles away is recording your every every word this isn't paranoia it's the reality of ss7 attacks hackers can use ss7 to forward your calls to their own devices they can listen in real time or record the call for later and it's not just calls they can intercept your text messages too your private conversations your bank logins your two- Factor authentication codes all of it can be compromised section s finding new location tracking through the SS 7 Network think your location is private think again with ss7 hackers can pinpoint your location with scary accuracy they don't need to install spyware on your phone they can track you through the network itself how does it work when your phone connects to a cell tower it sends out signals these signals contain information about your location hackers can exploit ss7 to trick the network into revealing this information they can use this to track your movements monitor your daily routine and even Target you with location based scams it's like having a stalker who can see your every [Music] move Section 8 protecting yourself what you can do to stay safe so what can you do to ensure your safety in this digital age the bad news is that there's no foolproof way to protect yourself from ss7 attacks which can be quite sophisticated and hard to detect the good news is that there are several steps you can take to minimize your risk and make it much harder for a attack us to succeed first and foremost be aware of the risks knowledge is power and understanding the potential threats can help you stay vigilant understanding how ss7 attacks work is the first step to protecting yourself use encrypted messaging apps to safeguard your Communications apps like signal or Whatsapp offer endtoend encryption making it much harder for hackers to intercept your messages this encryption ensures that only you and the person you're communicating with can read the messages be cautious about what you share online and over the phone avoid sharing sensitive information like Bank details passwords or personal identification numbers over the phone or through SMS these can be easily intercepted if not properly secured keep your phone up to date with the latest software updates software updates often include security patches that can help protect you from known vulnerabilities regularly updated your phone ensures that you have the latest protections against potential threats additionally enable two-factor authentication on your accounts this adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification making it more difficult for attackers to gain access consider using a password manager to create and store strong unique passwords for each of your accounts this reduces the risk of password reuse and makes it harder for attackers to compromise multiple accounts by taking these steps you can significantly reduce your risk and feel more secure in your digital interactions stay informed stay cautious and stay safe section N9 the future of phone security a call for stronger defenses the ss7 vulnerability has been known for Years yet it remains a threat why the answer is complicated upgrading global telecommunications infrastructure is a massive and expensive undertaking there's also the issue of responsibility who is responsible for fixing these vulnerabilities is it the telecom companies the governments or the organizations that oversee ss7 the answer like everything else in this mess is complicated we need a global effort to secure our Communications we need stronger regulations and better security protocols and we need it now section 10 Beyond ss7 other ways hackers can Target your phone s S7 is just one piece of the puzzle in the world of hacking hackers have a whole arsenal of tricks up their sleeves always evolving they can Target your phone through fishing attacks malicious apps and even public Wi-Fi networks which are often unsecured think of your phone as a mini computer holding valuable data it's just as vulnerable as your laptop or desktop if not more and just like your computer it needs to be protected with the right tools section 11 cyber security it's everyone's problem now we live in a connected World our phones are our lifelines but this connectivity comes at a cost our privacy and security are under constant threat cyber security is not just an IT issue it's an everyone issue we need to be aware of the risks we need to take steps to protect ourselves and we need to demand better security from our governments and tech companies the future of our digital lives depends on it