GPRS

GPRS:

GPRS, General Packet Radio services, is a wireless communication based on packets. GPRS has the ability to provide up to 114kpbs of data rate and it extends GSM (Global System for Mobile) capabilities to allow mobile users to connect to internet. However, the allowing of connection to Internet can cause securitythreats.

GPRS offers many kind of services such as SMS and MMS messaging, continuous internet access as well as push to talk over cellular network. (Referenced from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Packet_Radio_Service)

Below is an image of a typical GPRS network infrastructure.


Several security features offered by GPRS:

• Identity Confidentiality
• Main goal is to provide privacy to its subscribers
• Dialed digits and addresses are used to protect identity
• Making it difficult to identify the person from their signal

• Identity Authentication
• Feature is performed within the SGSN based on challenge-response mechanism
• Sign responses and pairs of random numbers will be obtained and stored within the SGSN.
• SGSN will decide if the correct authentication algorithm is used.

• User and Signaling Data Confidentiality
• User data and 64 bit Signaling key is transmitted over the GRPS IP-backbone
• Synchronization is performed by using a cipher key
• Protects from interception and eavesdropping

Image above shows the possible security threats faced by GRPS

• Theft of Service attempts
• Denial of Service attempts
• Snooping attempts
• Intercept attempts

(Referenced from: http://trends-in-telecoms.blogspot.com/2011/04/femtocell-security-vulnerabilities.html)