UNIT-2

Cybercrime: Mobile and Wireless Devices

Introduction
Mobile and Wireless Devices: are the technologies that are used to manage, process, and
communicate the data. Wireless simply means without any wire i.e. connecting with other
devices without any physical connection. Wireless computing is transferring the data or
information between computers or devices that are not physically connected to each other and
having a “wireless network connection”. For example, mobile devices, Wi-Fi, wireless printers
and scanners, etc. Mobiles are not physically connected but then too we can transfer data.
There are some wireless/mobile computing technologies given below:
1. Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM): GSM is a Current circuit-
switched wireless data communication technology. It is established in Europe by ETSI
(European Telecommunications Standards Institute) in the mid-1980s. As the name
suggests, GSM is widely used for the mobile communication system. It operates in the
frequency band 900-MHz, 1800-MHz, and 1900-MHz. GSM is developed using TDMA
(Time Division Multiple Access) for better communication using mobile.

2. Short Message Service (SMS): MS is originally created for a phone/mobile that uses
GSM Global System for Mobile communication). This service is used to send text
messages even without the Internet connection between two or more mobile devices.
This technique is very easy, user-friendly, comfortable and the most effective means of
wireless communication.

3. General Packet Radio Service (GPRS): The GPRS is a non-voice high-speed packet
switching system developed for GSM networks. GPRS is a packet-aligned, wireless
communication service that transmits a mobile signal on 3G and 2G cellular
transmission networks.

Importance of mobile and wireless devices: Mobile and wireless devices are
important because they make life easier and more convenient, and they have many
uses
• Communication
Mobile devices allow for instant and constant communication, breaking down
geographical barriers. You can use them to make voice and video calls, send messages,
and use social media.
• Productivity
Mobile devices can help you be more efficient and productive at work. You can use
them to send and receive documents, meet schedules, and provide introductions.
 • Entertainment
You can use mobile devices to watch movies, listen to music, and play games.
• Information
You can use mobile devices to stay informed about the world around you. For example,
you can check the traffic and weather on your phone.
• Other utilities
Mobile devices can also function as a calculator, camera, clock, alarm, timer, stopwatch,
and compass.
Proliferation of Mobile and Wireless Devices:
The proliferation of mobile and wireless devices refers to the rapid increase in the production
of these devices, driven by technological advancements. This has led to a number of
changes, including.

• Social change
The new mobile culture has changed social behaviour, with people using their devices
for a variety of activities, including shopping, browsing the internet, and working.
• Competitive landscape
Companies are now competing with each other to satisfy customers, which has led to a
decline in the quality of mobile devices.
• Security risks
The increased use of mobile devices has led to new security threats, such as malicious
software (malware) that can affect privacy, identity, and financial theft.
• Corporate security
Wireless devices pose a security threat to organizations, which need to implement
policies and procedures to assess and monitor risks.
The wireless revolution began in the 1990s, with the introduction of digital wireless
networks and the proliferation of commercial wireless technologies.
Trends in Mobility:
Mobile computing is moving into a new era, third generation (3G), which promises greater
variety in applications and have highly improved usability as well as speedier networking.
"iPhone" from Apple and Google-led "Android" phones are the best examples of this trend and
there are plenty of other developments that point in this direction. This smart mobile
technology is rapidly gaining popularity and the attackers (hackers and crackers) are among
its biggest fans.
Here are some trends in mobile computing and enterprise mobility:
• 5G: The fifth generation of mobile internet connectivity, 5G offers faster speeds and
more reliable connections than previous generations. It allows for the integration of
smart devices and the wireless transfer of large amounts of data.
• Mobile application management (MAM): MAM is a more flexible yet stricter
approach to managing the use of smartphones and tablets in the workplace. It's a
transition from conventional mobile device management (MDM).
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): BYOD allows employees to use their personal
devices for work-related tasks. This can increase employee happiness, enhance
flexibility, and save businesses money
Other trends in mobility and mobile computing include:
• Advanced connectivity
• Applied AI
• Cloud and edge computing
• Generative AI
• Immersive-reality tech
• Industrialization of machine learning
• Next-generation software development
• Quantum tech
• Trust architecture and digital-identity tools
• Web3
Credit card Frauds in Mobile and Wireless Computing Era
Mobile and wireless devices can be susceptible to credit card fraud through Man-in-the-Middle
(MitM) attacks. In these attacks, an attacker intercepts network communications to either
eavesdrop on or modify the data being transmitted. SMS messages and mobile applications
can be easily intercepted, making mobile devices especially vulnerable to MitM attacks.
In this modern era, the rising importance of electronic gadgets – which became an integral part
of business, providing connectivity with the internet outside the office brings many challenges
to secure these devices from being a victim of cybercrime. These Credit card frauds and all are
the new trends in cybercrime that are coming up with mobile computing – mobile commerce
(M- COMMERCE) and mobile banking (M-Banking).
Today belongs to” Mobile computing” that is anywhere any time computing. The
developments in wireless technology have fuelled this new mode of working for white collar
workers. This is true for credit card processing too. Credit card (or debit card) fraud is a form
of identity theft that involves an unauthorized taking of another’s credit card information for
the purpose of charging purchases to the account or removing funds from it.

Elements of Credit Card Fraud

Debit/credit card fraud is thus committed when a person
1) fraudulently obtains, takes, signs, uses, sells, buys, or forges someone else’s credit or debit
card or card information;
2) uses his or her own card with the knowledge that it is revoked or expired or that the account
lacks enough money to pay for the items charged; and
3) sells goods or services to someone else with knowledge that the credit or debit card being
used was illegally obtained or is being used without authorization.
Techniques of Credit Card Frauds:
1. Traditional Techniques:
• Paper-based-Fraud
Paper-based fraud is whereby a criminal makes use of stolen or faux files such as utility
payments and financial institution statements that can construct up beneficial Personally
Identifiable Information (PII) to open an account in anybody else’s name.
• Application Fraud –
• ID Theft:
Where a person pretends to be anybody else.
• Financial Fraud:
Where a person offers false data about his or her monetary reputation to
gather credit.

2. Modern Techniques:
Skimming to Commit Fraud is a kind of crime in which dishonest employees make
unlawful copies of credit or debit cards with the help of a ‘skimmer’. A skimmer is a
gadget that captures credit card numbers and other account information which
should be personal. The data and records held on either the magnetic stripe on the
lower back of the deposit card or the records saved on the smart chip are copied
from one card to another.

Security Challenges Posed by Mobile Devices

When you consider all the potential threats that exist on the Internet and the fact that most of
today’s mobile devices are connecting to and through the Internet with every function, I think
it becomes easier to understand just how vulnerable they are. While more of the threats are the
same as those faced by the average laptop or desktop user there are some unique to the mobile
world. Mobile phone security threats generally include application based, web-based,
network-based and physical threats.
1. Application based threat:
The most of application are downloadable and purposed the most common risk for
mobile users; most devices don’t do much on their own, and it is the applications that
make them so awesome and we all download apps. If it comes to apps the risks run
from bugs and basic security risks on the low end of the scale all the way through
malicious apps with no other purpose to commit cybercrime.
• Malware
• Spyware
• Privacy
• Zero Day Vulnerabilities
2. Web based threat:
According to the nature of mobile use, the fact that we have our devices with us
everywhere we go and are connecting to the Internet while doing so, they face
the number of unique web-based threats as well as the run-of-the-mill threats
of general Internet use.
• Phishing Scams
• Social Engineering
• Drive By Downloads
• Operating System Flaw
3. Network-based threat:
Any mobile devices which typically support a minimum of three network capabilities
making them three-times vulnerable to network-based attack. And a network often
found on a mobile include cellular, wi-fi and Bluetooth.
• Network exploits
• Wi-fi sniffing
• Cross-Platform Attacks
• BOYD
4. Physical Threats:
It is happened any time, unlikely a desktop sitting at your workstation, or even a
laptop in your bag, a mobile device is subject to a number of everyday physical
threats.
• Loss/Theft:
Loss or theft is the most unwanted physical threat to the security of your mobile device.
Any devices itself has value and can be sold on the secondary market after all your
information is stolen and so

To protect against these threats, users can:

• Keep their devices and apps updated
• Use complex passwords and multifactor authentication
• Be careful about how they connect to corporate resources
• Understand how threat actors target mobile devices
Registry Settings for Mobile Devices

Registry settings are stored in a hierarchical structure of values, subkeys, and keys. They
can be used for a variety of purposes, including: Configuring system settings, customizing
application settings, troubleshooting application issues, managing hardware devices, and
Automating software deployment.

In the context of mobile devices and ActiveSync, let's explore how registry settings and
group policy play a crucial role in ensuring security and establishing trusted
configuration.

Microsoft Active Sync is a synchronization program, developed by Microsoft,

designed to facilitate data synchronization between Windows-powered personal computers
(PCs) and mobile devices running Windows Mobile or, in more recent versions, Windows
Phone operating systems. It facilitates the seamless transfer of various types of data, such
as e-mail, contacts, calendar entries, tasks, documents and multimedia files, between a
user's PC and mobile device.

Key features and functions of Microsoft Active Sync include:

Data Synchronisation: Active Sync enables users to synchronise critical data between
their PC and mobile device, ensuring that information remains consistent and up-to-date on
both platforms.

E-mail Synchronisation: Users can synchronise their e-mails, including inbox, sent items,
drafts and other folders, allowing for real-time access to e-mail messages on both the PC
and mobile device.

Calendar and Contacts Sync: Active Sync ensures that calendar events and contact
information are synchronised between the PC and mobile device, enabling users to stay
organised and up to date

Task and Note Synchronisation: Tasks and notes can be synchronised, providing a
unified experience across devices for managing to-do lists and notes

File and Document Transfer: Active Sync allows the transfer of files and documents,
including Microsoft Office files (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint), pictures, videos and other
multimedia content, between the PC and mobile device.

Wireless Synchronisation: In addition to syncing via a USB connection, Active Sync

supports wireless synchronisation, enabling users to update their data without physically
connecting the device to their PC.

Security Features: Active Sync incorporates security measures to protect sensitive data
during synchronisation, including encryption and remote wipe capabilities to safeguard
data in case of loss or theft. Active Sync has been a fundamental tool for users who rely on
Microsoft's ecosystem, providing a streamlined and efficient way to keep their data in sync
across their PC and mobile devices.

Registry Settings for Mobile Devices.

Microsoft Active Sync and Synchronisation: Microsoft Active Sync facilitates

synchronisation between Windows-powered PCs and Windows mobile-powered devices,
enabling the transfer of various types of data like Outlook information, Microsoft Office
documents, media files and applications

Gateway for Data Transfer: Active Sync acts as a gateway, facilitating the secure transfer
of applications and data between a user's desktop and their mobile devices.

Synchronisation with Exchange Server: Active Sync allows direct synchronisation with
Microsoft Exchange Server, ensuring users can keep their e-mails, calendar, notes and
contacts updated wirelessly even when they areaway from their PCs.

Role of Registry Settings: Registry settings in the Windows operating system contain
critical configurations and parameters that dictate the behaviour of the system and
applications

In the context of Active Sync and mobile devices, registry settings are crucial for
configuring how Active Syn cooperates and ensuring secure synchronisation between
devices and servers.

Establishing Trusted Groups through Registry Settings: Active Sync, being a critical
application for synchronisation, often needs to define access rights and configurations using
registry settings to ensure secure data transmission. Registry settings can establish trusted
groups by defining permissions, access levels and security policies related to Active Sync
usage.

Group Policy and Local Group Policy Editor (GPEDIT.MSC): Group Policy is a
feature of Windows Active Directory that allows administrators to define configurations
and security settings for users and computers within a domain. The Local Group Policy
Editor (accessed via the GPEDIT. MSC command) is a tool to modify group policy settings
on a local machine.

To add a registry key and value to a mobile device profile, you can do the following:
1. Select the profile name from the Profiles tab
2. Click Edit
3. Click New in the Registry Entries panel
4. Select Root from the drop-down list
5. Type the key name in the Key text box
6. Type the key value entry in the Name text box
7. Enter the value entry data in the Data text box
8. Select the value type from the drop-down list
9. Select Create key as the Action
10.Click Add to add the registry key and value to the list
11.Click Save when finished

Authentication Service Security

Authentication is a cybersecurity service that verifies a user's identity to ensure they have
the correct permissions to access a system. Authentication is used by a server when the
server needs to know exactly who is accessing their information or site. Authentication is
used by a client when the client needs to know that the server is system it claims to be. In
authentication, the user or computer has to prove its identity to the server or client.

There are different types of authentication systems which are: –

1. Single-Factor Authentication: This was the first method of security that was developed.
On this authentication system, the user has to enter the username and the password to
confirm whether that user is logging in or not. Now if the username or password is wrong,
then the user will not be allowed to log in or access the system.

Advantage of the Single-Factor Authentication System:

• It is a very simple to use and straightforward system.
• it is not at all costly.
• The user does not need any huge technical skills.

The disadvantage of the Single-Factor Authentication

• It is not at all password secure. It will depend on the strength of the password entered
by the user.
• The protection level in Single-Factor Authentication is much low.

2. Two-factor Authentication: In this authentication system, the user has to give a

username, password, and other information. There are various types of authentication
systems that are used by the user for securing the system. Some of them are: – wireless
tokens and virtual tokens. OTP and more.

Advantages of the Two-Factor Authentication

• The Two-Factor Authentication System provides better security than the Single-factor
Authentication system.
• The productivity and flexibility increase in the two-factor authentication system.
• Two-Factor Authentication prevents the loss of trust.

Disadvantages of Two-Factor Authentication

• It is time-consuming.

3. Multi-Factor authentication system: In this type of authentication, more than one

factor of authentication is needed. This gives better security to the user. Any type of
keylogger or phishing attack will not be possible in a Multi-Factor Authentication system.
This assures the user, that the information will not get stolen from them.
 The advantage of the Multi-Factor Authentication System.
• No risk of security.
• No information could get stolen.
• No risk of any key-logger activity.
• No risk of any data getting captured.

The disadvantage of the Multi-Factor Authentication System.

• It is time-consuming.
• it can rely on third parties.

The main objective of authentication is to allow authorized users to access the computer and
to deny access to unauthorized users. Operating Systems generally identify/authenticates users
using the following three ways: Passwords, Physical identification, and Biometrics. These are
explained as following below.
1. Passwords: Password verification is the most popular and commonly used authentication
technique. A password is a secret text that is supposed to be known only to a user. In a
password-based system, each user is assigned a valid username and password by the system
administrator. The system stores all usernames and Passwords. When a user logs in, their
username and password are verified by comparing them with the stored login name and
password. If the contents are the same then the user is allowed to access the system
otherwise it is rejected.

2. Physical Identification: This technique includes machine-readable badges(symbols),

cards, or smart cards. In some companies, badges are required for employees to gain access
to the organization’s gate. In many systems, identification is combined with the use of a
password ie. the user must insert the card and then supply his /her password. This kind of
authentication is commonly used with ATMs. Smart cards can enhance this scheme by
keeping the user password within the card itself. This allows authentication without the
storage of passwords in the computer system. The loss of such a card can be dangerous.

3. Biometrics: This method of authentication is based on the unique biological characteristics

of each user such as fingerprints, voice or face recognition, signatures, and eyes.
4. A scanner or other devices to gather the necessary data about the user.
5. Software to convert the data into a form that can be compared and stored.
6. A database that stores information for all authorized users.
7. Facial Characteristics – Humans are differentiated on the basis of facial characteristics
such as eyes, nose, lips, eyebrows, and chin shape.
8. Fingerprints – Fingerprints are believed to be unique across the entire human population.
9. Retinal pattern – It is concerned with the detailed structure of the eye.
10.Signature – Every individual has a unique style of handwriting, and this feature is reflected
in the signatures of a person.
11.Voice – This method records the frequency pattern of the voice of an individual speaker.
Attacks on Mobile/Cell Phones:
Wireless and mobile devices have become ubiquitous in today’s society, and with this
increased usage comes the potential for security threats. Wireless and mobile device attacks
are a growing concern for individuals, businesses, and governments.
Below are some of the most common types of Wireless and Mobile Device Attacks:

Smishing: Smishing become common now as smartphones are widely used. Smishing uses
Short Message Service (SMS) to send fraud text messages or links. The criminals cheat the
user by calling. Victims may provide sensitive information such as credit card information,
account information, etc. Accessing a website might result in the user unknowingly
downloading malware that infects the device.

War driving: War driving is a way used by attackers to find access points wherever they can
be. With the availability of free Wi-Fi connection, they can drive around and obtain a very
huge amount of information over a very short period of time.

Bluejacking: Bluejacking is used for sending unauthorized messages to another Bluetooth

device. Bluetooth is a high-speed but very short-range wireless technology for exchanging
data between desktop and mobile computers and other devices.

RF Jamming: Wireless signals are susceptible to electromagnetic interference and radio-

frequency interference. Radio frequency (RF) jamming distorts the transmission of a satellite
station so that the signal does not reach the receiving station.

Wi-Fi Spoofing: Wi-Fi spoofing involves setting up a fake wireless access point to trick users
into connecting to it instead of the legitimate network. This attack can be used to steal sensitive
information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers. One advantage of this
attack is that it is relatively easy to carry out, and the attacker does not need sophisticated tools
or skills. However, it can be easily detected if users are aware of the legitimate network’s name
and other details.

SMS Spoofing: SMS spoofing involves sending text messages that appear to come from a
trusted source, such as a bank or a government agency. This attack can be used to trick users
into revealing sensitive information or downloading malware. One advantage of this attack is
that it can be carried out without the user’s knowledge. However, it requires the attacker to
have the victim’s phone number, and it can be easily detected if users are aware of the
legitimate source of the message.

Malware: Malware is software designed to infect a device and steal or damage data. Malware
can be distributed through email attachments, software downloads, or malicious websites. One
advantage of this attack is that it can be carried out remotely, without the attacker needing to
be physically close to the victim. However, it requires the attacker to have a way to deliver the
malware to the victim’s device, such as through a phishing email or a fake website.
Security Implications for organizations
Security implications for organizations in the mobile computing era include protecting
sensitive data, restricting user access, and preventing unauthorized use of mobile devices:
• Data protection: Organizations can protect sensitive data by encrypting it at rest and
in transit.
• User access: Organizations can restrict user actions and access by assigning policies
to roles instead of individual users.
• Unauthorized use: Organizations can prevent unauthorized use of mobile devices by
implementing user authentication, regularly updating devices and apps, and avoiding
public Wi-Fi.
• Mobile applications: Organizations can reduce security risks by vetting apps,
analysing code, and using secure coding practices.
• Secure web gateway: A secure web gateway can help prevent online security threats
by enforcing security policies and defending against malware and phishing.
• Mobile threat defence: Mobile threat defence systems can protect mobile devices
from threats like malware, phishing, and network-based attacks.

Organizational measures for handling mobile

Here are some organizational measures for handling mobile devices in cybersecurity:
• Application security: Have cybersecurity experts assess the security of your mobile
apps against potential threats.
• Endpoint security: Use application control to block users from accessing
unauthorized apps. Endpoint security also uses encryption to prevent data loss and
detect malware.
• Password policy: Have a strong password policy to make it difficult for hackers to
crack passwords.
• Incident response: Prepare your organization to respond to security incidents, protect
assets, and restore normal operations.
• Access control: Ensure people can use the resources they need without compromising
the organization's security.
• Network security: Keep intruders out and stop attacks from compromised devices.
• Cloud security: Adopt cloud infrastructure to create more optimal security and
compliance measures.