TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: SMS Security??

Re: SMS Security??

bensmyth (noreply@test.com)
Fri, 21 Jan 2005 09:47:20 -0000

>> Again, protocols vary even as an individual message travels to its
>> destination. You should never be assured that any secure method is
>> being used to transmit SMS messages.

> In Australia, there is no guarantee whatsoever that SMS will actually be
> delivered -- it seems it is all done on a "best effort" basis.

> There have been cases in the past where carriers have had problems
> with excessive SMS traffic and have (apparently) just dropped
> messages, or have deleted messages awaiting delivery for more than a
> few days.

Sounds like a routing issue. If congesting is occuring on the network
then routers may drop packets ... I'm not sure how resend works over
the phone network. I thought the GSM protocol guaranteed delivery --
although I may be wrong!

> I'd be more concerned about the SMS actually getting through reliably
> than any transport security issues, if the message is *that*
> important ...

That's true, although it depends on the contents of the message. The
contents may not be valuable. Disclosure of a message could result in
media coverage -- which obviously generates damage to a companies
reputation.

Ben

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: Isaiah Beard: "Re: Radar Detectors"
Go to Previous message: Isaiah Beard: "Re: 800 Number or 10-10"
May be in reply to: bensmyth: "SMS Security??"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page